Flood Sacks Over 1,600 People From Sokoto Communities

At least 1,664 individuals have been forced to leave their homes due to recent flooding that has devastated four communities in Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

A statement, signed by the Information Officer of the Sokoto Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Ghani, and released to journalists on Sunday, indicates that a recent heavy rainfall in the region caused the flooding.

Ghani mentioned that the floodwaters have also damaged a significant amount of agricultural land.

Naija News understands that the heavy rainfall that occurred on July 17, 2024, has left many people in the Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State without homes and forced them to move.

Additionally, it has damaged a large area of farmland and led to the loss of many sheep and goats.

“This was discovered during an assessment conducted on Saturday at Gada by NEMA and SEMA officials in the state.

“Some of the affected communities ravaged by the incident include Dantudu, Balakozo, Gidan Tudu and Tsitse towns, 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 read.

The report also mentioned that the overall count of individuals impacted by the flood at Dan Tudu, Balakozo, Gidan Tudu, and Trait Town stands at 1,664.

In recent years, Nigeria has faced severe flooding events in 2012, 2018, 2020, and 2022.

Previously, the Federal Government, through the Minister of State of Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako, revealed that 94 towns were at risk of flooding for five days starting Tuesday, July 16, 2024, and concluding on July 20, 2024.

Salako indicated that these areas were expected to receive intense rainfall, potentially causing flooding during that timeframe.

On Friday, July 19, 2024, a non-governmental organization named Safe and Better Nigeria urged both the federal and state governments to learn from previous devastating floods in the nation.

The organization emphasized that proper planning could mitigate the impact of the upcoming flood in 2024.

Towards the end of Thursday, July 18, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in the Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, where floodwaters carried away four individuals during a severe storm that lasted into Friday and Saturday.

This storm led to significant flooding, reportedly taking the lives of the victims, including a mother and her child.

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