Floods in Kano and Jigawa Claim 68 Lives, Displace Thousands

Severe flooding has claimed the lives of at least 68 people in Kano and Jigawa states since the beginning of the rainy season in July. The disaster has affected numerous communities, destroying homes, displacing thousands, and ravaging farmlands in the region.

In Kano State, 31 people have lost their lives due to flooding, according to the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Isyaku Kubarachi. Speaking to journalists, Kubarachi reported that the floods have impacted 156 communities across 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state. “So far, 31,818 people have been affected, and 5,280 houses have been destroyed by the flood,” he said, adding that 135 people have sustained injuries.

Kubarachi further explained that the flooding has resulted in the destruction of 2,518 farmlands, covering an area of 976 hectares. He emphasized that the disaster was largely due to heavy rains and the vulnerability of mud houses built along waterways. “Most of the affected houses were mud houses built on places that water passes through. Someone would be sleeping, and without envisaging that the building would collapse, it will eventually happen,” he explained.

The Kano State government is currently working on providing aid to the affected areas. “We are working on providing aid to all 21 local government areas affected by the flood and hope for a positive outcome soon,” Kubarachi said, noting that many displaced people are now staying with neighbors and relatives.

In Jigawa State, the situation is similarly dire. Dr. Haruna Mairiga, Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed that the death toll in the state has reached 37. The floods have displaced 15,000 people, who are now taking refuge in schools provided by the government. “We have provided them with bedding (mats) and blankets,” Dr. Mairiga said in a phone interview.

In addition to the human toll, the flooding in Jigawa has devastated agricultural lands, with 12,000 hectares of cultivated farmlands awaiting harvest being washed away. Dr. Mairiga noted that the flooding has affected 17 out of the 27 LGAs in the state, and the situation could worsen as the rainy season continues. “We started experiencing flooding since July, and we are not yet in the middle of the rainy season,” he warned.

The ongoing flooding in Kano and Jigawa highlights the vulnerability of these regions to extreme weather events, particularly as climate change continues to exacerbate the frequency and severity of such disasters. As the affected communities grapple with the aftermath, there are growing calls for more robust disaster preparedness and response strategies to mitigate the impact of future floods.