Day rainstorm wrecked 800 houses, rendered 1,300 homeless in Kebbi
The people of Maiyama, Ribah and Shengel in Danko Wasagu area of Kebbi State are still lamenting the loss the loss the recorded in the rain/ windstorms that accompanied the first rain in their communities. The first event occurred on a Sunday evening. Maiyama community was devastated by an unprecedented weather condition accompanied by violent rain and windstorm destroying some of its settlements. A few days after the disaster some communities in Danko/ Wasagu, Ribah and Shengel in Zuru area of the state were also badly affected by rainstorm.
According to Bala Ahmed, a resident of Sabon Gari area of Maiyama, where the disaster was more severe, “it was quick and sudden. Within 40 minutes of the downpour the roofs of our houses were blown off. Many houses were reduced to rubbles and several others were dangerously cracked and pulled down by the rainstorm”.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that the rainfall only lasted for about 40 minutes but it destroyed over 800 houses, petrol stations, school structures, hospitals, electrical installations and water facilities. Several domestic animals were also killed.
The over 1,400 people who were rendered homeless were forced to take shelter in the premises of some schools in the area while over 70 people are being treated at the General Hospital in Maiyama, FMC, Sir Yahaya Memorial Specialist Hospital in Birnin Kebbi and General Hospital in Koko. The loss of many of the victim was monumental. They lost properties, domestic animals and other possessions worth hundreds of millions of naira.
One of the victims of the rainstorm in Maiyama, Abdulhadi Isyaka, while lamenting his loss said, “I have a wife and four children. On that fateful day, I thank Almighty Allah that my family members were not at home when the disaster occurred. I was at the filling station when the rainstorm started. It was so violent and within the short period it lasted I saw something like black smoke forming in the sky and it gradually engulfed the whole of Maiyama community and suddenly the violent wind came just like a hurricane, blowing off house roofs among other things. I could hear people shouting and crying for help. I was surprised to discover that no death was recorded except the destruction done to properties and domestic animals. I lost a house of two bedrooms, a kitchen and a store where all my food stuff were kept. If I am to count my losses, I think I lost over N5 million to the rainstorm but as a Muslim, I leave everything in the hands of God.”
Another victim, Usman Haruna, who said he was lucky to have survived the rainstorm with his two wives and 10 children, told our correspondent that he thought the end of the world had come.
“You can see the rainstorm completely destroyed my fourbedroom house. It reduced it to rubbles. My escape was a miracle. It was like hell, it was like the world was coming to an end when it started because it violently shook the house. My children and wives were crying and shouting for help. In the terrible windy condition we managed to abandon the house as part of the ceiling and walls started breaking and falling. I lost everything to the storm. I want the authorities to come to my aid. Although immediately the incident happened, Governor Bagudu was here to sympathise with us and he donated some money, we still need assistance from other authorities”.
While speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, the Sole Administrator of Maiyama Local Government Area, Alhaji Haliru Idris Sambawa, said the rainstorm started around 4:21 pm and it lasted for 40 minutes.
“Nobody died but over 70 people were injured and are undergoing treatment at Maiyama General Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, while others were taken to Koko General Hospital. Many houses were affected and we have set up a committee which comprises of the police, SSS, Civil Defence, local government staff and traditional rulers. The town was divided into four and each section of the committee is to address the needs of the victims.
“We are almost rounding up on our duty and our assessment so far showed that over 800 houses were destroyed. Electricity facilities, school structures, hospitals, water facilities and petrol stations were also damaged. Properties worth several hundreds of millions were destroyed. Some of the properties affected were worth over N50 million.
“There was a particular Islamic school built by Garkuwan Maiyama, it was a giant project worth over N50 million but it was destroyed by the rainstorm. Many of the houses affected were reduced to rubbles. We also realized that the health personal that we had on ground were not enough to handle the victims so we called for more health personnel and we bought drugs to take care of them. Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu was here to sympathize with those who were affected by the disaster. “He gave us N5 million to purchase necessary relief materials. We know the state government alone cannot handle this, so we are calling on the federal government and other agencies like NEMA and SEMA to come to our aid. Even our trees, like mango and others were completely uprooted. Presently over 1,000 people that were displaced by the rainstorm are camped in school premises,” he said.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) last week distributed relief materials to people who were made homeless by the rainstorm. Some of the items distributed include, 200 bags of rice, 200 bags of beans, 200 bags of maize, 300 ceiling board, 300 cartons of nails, 300 bags of cement, 300 treated mosquito nets, 300 roofing sheets and 300 blankets. While handing over the relief items to Governor Bagudu, at the pilgrims transit camp in Birnin Kebbi, the Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Yinusa Mai- Hajja, said the agency took the materials to the affected victims to reduce their suffering.
He said “NEMA was worried about the frequency at which rainstorm had occurred in some parts of the state. We are well equipped and ready to respond immediately to any disaster in any part of the country. We would always support and train the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) to make them more responsive and efficient in dealing with disasters. The chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Sani Dododo in his assessment, said it was one a terrible experience. He added over 1,300 households had been displaced and that over 800 houses were destroyed.