Flood victims in Katsina State have decried unturn hardship in the aftermath of the devastating floods that ravaged their livelihoods and inhabitants.
According to the victims they are yet to receive assistance from the state government to cushion their immediate challenges.
Most of the displaced flood victims are stranded, taking shelter in relatives’ and good Samaritans’ houses in neighboring communities.
A survey by our correspondent across the 34 Local Government Areas revealed that at least 30,000 people have been displaced by the floods in 18 Local Government Areas, with over 7,000 houses, shops, and business premises destroyed.
Thousands of farmlands across 15 local government areas were also submerged, washing away crops and affecting food production in the state.
In Natsinta community, Jibia local government area, over 255 houses were submerged, rendering over 1,000 persons homeless. The village head, Dayebu Mai Ungwa, expressed worry over the situation, calling on the government to assist the people with roofing sheets, cement, blocks, and money to rebuild their homes.
The lawmaker representing ibiya constituency at the state assembly, Mustafa Yusuf, visited the community and assured the victims that the state assembly would deliberate on the matter to enable the state government to assist.
Mainwhile, despite the severity of the disaster, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) seems to be in the dark about the level of devastation and yet to provide any relief assistance to the victims.
An official personnel in the office reliably told me that the SEMA is still compiling the statistics of the devastation, confirming that the situations are so precarious but he is not in better position to talk.
Effort to get the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Binta Dangani failed, as at the time of filling this report.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had predicted that only three Local Government Areas would be affected by the flood, but the actual destruction has far surpassed this projection. Despite this early warning, little was done to sensitize the populations at risk of the disaster on measures to mitigate its effects.
As the victims of the Katsina floods continue to suffer, it is imperative that the state government takes immediate action to provide relief assistance and support to those affected. The government must also take measures to prevent such disasters in the future by investing in flood control measures and sensitive.