Photo credit: Daily Trust

 

No fewer than 49 persons have reportedly died and several others are missing after flood wreaked havoc in 10 communities in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State on Sunday night.

Some of the communities badly affected by the flood are Kwata, Dantudu, Sabuwar, Tukare, Tsohuwar Tukare and Ungwar Mai Kwari.

Confirming the incident, the District Head of Jibia, Alhaji Rabe Rabi’u said the incident was highly devastating as several persons and  animals are still unaccounted for.

“As I speak to you, we discovered the corpses of 25 persons, including mothers and children and many are missing. Over 260 cows, sheep and goats were killed by the flood. The heavy rainfall started around 11p.m. on Sunday night and stopped by 1 a.m. this morning (Monday),” Rabi’u said.

He called on the federal and state governments to come to their aid, considering the devastating nature of the flood as according to him, the situation is beyond their financial strengths.

According to some survivors, the downpour caused river channels in the affected villages to overflow their banks, resulting in the loss of lives and sweeping away of several vehicles, motorcycles and washing away of farmlands.

Of the 49 persons who reportedly lost their lives, three were a food vendor and her two children whose container-shop was swept away by the flood around Sabuwar Mosque area of Jibia.