At least 31 people have lost their lives and over 5,000 homes destroyed from severe flooding that swept through 21 local government areas in Kano State.
The incident has left thousands of residents displaced and caused damages to farmlands.
Executive Secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Isyaku Kubarachi, revealed these figures during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Kubarachi detailed the scale of the disaster, reporting that 31,818 people were affected with 5,280 homes destroyed and 2,518 farmlands submerged, covering nearly 1,000 hectares of land.
“The heavy rains has not only led to these losses of lives but has also ruined vast areas of farmland, dealing a heavy blow to local agriculture,” Kubarachi stated.
He attributed the flood to heavy rainfall, which overwhelmed the state’s waterways.
Kubarachi pointed out that some of the affected houses were mud structures which were poorly positioned along natural water channels, making them particularly vulnerable.
“Many of the houses were built on water pathways, and unfortunately, when the rains came, the structures couldn’t withstand the pressure,” he explained, adding, “This often happens when people are unaware that their homes could collapse at any moment.”
The flooding, initially expected to affect 14 local government areas has now spread to 21 with significant impacts in areas such as Wudil, Gwale, Nassarawa, Dala, Tarauni, Dawakin-Tofa, and Dambatta.
The SEMA boss said the agency has submitted a proposal to the Kano State Government requesting urgent support for the displaced and affected residents.
Kubarachi emphasised that the government is preparing to provide relief materials to those in need, while many victims are currently being sheltered by relatives and neighbours.
“The state is working on delivering aid to all 21 affected local government areas, and we are hopeful for a swift response,” Kubarachi added.