Flood kills 2, submerges 3,000 farmlands in Katsina State – Official
NAN-AE-12
Flood
Katsina, Sept. 22, 2016 (NAN) Dr Aminu Waziri, the Executive Secretary, Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said that two persons were killed as a result of flood which occurred in the state this year.
Waziri, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, added that several other persons sustained various degrees of injuries in the incident.
He said that over 300 houses were also affected in one way or the other by the disaster.
Waziri said that over 3,000 farmlands were submerged by the flood that destroyed crops estimated at millions of naira during the period under review.
He further revealed that property worth millions of naira was also destroyed by the disaster in the state.
Waziri told NAN that the local government areas worst affected were Malumfashi, Bakori, Funtua and Baure.
According to him, the state recorded few cases of flooding in 2016, when compared with previous years.
The secretary attributed this to the state government’s efforts in providing effective drainage, particularly in the flood prone areas.
He explained that the flooding experienced in 2016 could be blamed on earth dams collapsed, indiscriminate dumping of refuse in waterways and erection of houses on waterways.
Waziri advised all the three tiers of government to conduct a scientific study on the disaster vulnerability of each state so as to be able to plan for remedy in case of emergency.
He further urged authorities concern to continue to ensure effective monitoring of weather situations and dams with a view to plan ahead and enlightens the public on the anticipation of such disasters.
Waziri also urged the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste and building of houses on waterways to avoid flooding and outbreak of diseases.
He said that the state has over 700 Internally Displaced Persons, who were currently camping in public schools at Danmusa and Faskari Local Government Areas of the state. (NAN)
ZI/SUD/FF/AFA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Felix Ajide
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