Tambuwal, Sultan visit flood-ravaged Sokoto communities
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Twelve persons have been feared dead following a heavy down pour, while cash crops were washed away in Ganjuwa and Giade local government areas of Bauchi State.
Confirming the incident, the Deputy Director, Needs Assessment of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Musa Ladan, who disclosed this yesterday during an interview with journalists in Bauchi, said the flood killed four persons in Galamakira and Galam Baba communities in Miya district area of Ganjuwa local government.
According to him, eigth persons also lost their lives as a result of the flood in Gulbuk community in Giade Local Government Area of the state.
He added that the flood killed four children who went out in the rain to take a bath. “Unfortunately for them, on their way home, they stepped on a culvert which caved in and the flood took them away.
“The people in the community were able to recover the body of one of the children who died during the incident.The other two bodies were recovered the following day.” He said
He said the fourth victim who lost his life in the flood was a 65 year old farmer called Alhaji Danladi whose house collapsed due to the magnitude of the wind that accompanied the flood.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of SEMA, Aliyu Abba Ahamad, said the agency’s team in the state had visited the affected communities to commiserate with victims and access the level of damage wrecked by the flood.
The village heads of Galamakira and Galam Baba, Saleh Adamu and Ahmed Iliyasu, respectively called on the state government to construct more primary health care centres in the communities in order to offer prompt medical services to the people during of emergencies.
In Sokoto State, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the Sultan, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, have assessed the damage done by the thunderstorm and flood in Tudu village and surrounding communities of Dange Shuni Local Government Area of the state.
Incessant rain and rising water level have left more than 100 homes destroyed while a toddler was reported dead in the village.
Addressing the victims of the disaster, Tambuwal said government had already sent in emergency supply of relief items to the area.
He said in the interim, the state emergency management agency would conduct a full assessment of items destroyed to enable government assist the victims.
While praying to God to ensure such calamity doesn’t occur again, Tambuwal said efforts were being made to ensure that all houses to be rebuilt would be strong enough to withstand heavy rains and strong winds.
Meanwhile, Tambuwal has also inspected the Isa-Marnona federal highway which was washed away by the flood.
He said his administration would fix the damaged section of the road, and revealed that an assessment team had been directed to visit the site and advise government accordingly.
