Floods devastated four villages in Sokoto State’s Gada Local Government Area, displacing 1,664 people.
According to a statement signed by Abdullahi Ghani, Information Officer of the Sokoto Emergency Management Agency, and made accessible to journalists on Sunday, the flood was caused by a recent downpour in the area.
According to Ghani, the water ruined numerous hectares of agriculture.
“The recent downpour, which happened on July 17, 2024, left many residents of Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State homeless and displaced.
“It also destroyed several hectares of farmlands and resulted in the perishment of a large number of sheep and goats.
“This was discovered during an assessment conducted on Saturday at Gada by NEMA and SEMA officials in the state,” the statement partly read.
It added that “some of the affected communities ravaged by the incident include Dantudu, Balakozo, Gidan Tudu, and Tsitse villages, among others.
“According to the report compiled, at Dan Tudu village, 62 houses and 71 households were affected’ while at Balakozo village (Tsitse Ward), 33 houses and 48 households were also affected.
“Similarly, at Gidan Tudu village, a total of 38 houses and 52 households were affected by the incidence. At Tsitse town, a total of 68 houses and 89 households were also affected.”
The statement added that “the total number of people affected by the flood at Dan Tudu, Balakozo, Gidan Tudu, and Trait town is 1,664.”
Previously, the Federal Government, through the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced that 94 communities are at risk of a five-day deluge beginning Tuesday, July 16, and concluding July 20, 2024.
Salako stated that the selected places and their surroundings would most likely experience severe rainfall, which could lead to flooding over the forecast timeframe.
On Friday, July 19, 2024, the non-governmental group Safe and Better Nigeria urged the federal and state governments to learn from previous disastrous floods in the country.
The NGO stated that effective preparation will mitigate the impact of the 2024 flood.
In the late hours of Thursday, July 18, 2023, four people were swept away by a flood in Anambra State’s Nnewi North LG following a rainfall.
The downpour, which lasted until Friday and Saturday, caused huge floods that allegedly washed away the victims, including a mother and child.
