Farms, houses flooded as rainfall wreaks havoc in Katsina

Aweek-long non-stop rain has wreaked havoc on farms and houses in some parts of Katsina State.

Many beans farms were seen flooded with water which washed away the nutrients and the fertilizer applied by the farmers.

Malam Sani Usman of Ilalla village of Dandume LGA, said most farmers that planted their beans lately were seriously affected by the rainfall.

“You know beans plant, like any other legume, is fragile and does not survive under heavy and incessant rain that is why many of our farmers that planted the crop late are affected by the recent rainfall,” he said.

He further said the development did not only affect farms but also houses of the farmers.

“Even maize and other crops were affected because swampy soil affects their growth and neutralizes the nutrients required by the crops,” said Usman.

He added that farmers in the area have since resorted to prayers for a break in the rain, adding that “and God so kind in the last two days (Friday and Saturday) we have not had rainfall.’’

This reporter went round some communities in Bakori, Danja and Funtua LGAs and saw that the damage done by the rainfall to houses at villages was far more than that of the towns obviously because most of the village houses were made of clay.

One of the affected people in Kakumi, Bakori LGA, Malam Ali Karo, said his only two rooms were destroyed by the rains.

“A week ago, my perimeter walls collapsed and I have to use cornstalks to fence the two rooms in the house and now they are also destroyed. I have no option than to put my two wives into a hut I constructed as a pen house before I secure another accommodation within or outside our village,” he said.

He added that many of the affected people in the village have relocated to neighbouring villages and towns, pending the harvest period to rebuild their houses.

“We were gearing up for bumper harvest; all full of hope that our economy would improve, but suddenly this unfortunate incident happened to us and we have no choice than to use the proceeds of what is left of our farms to rebuild our houses,” he said.

Another victim in Funtua, Malam Saminu Funtua, said five years ago, they experienced the same heavy rainfall but that they were lucky both incidents did not result to flood.

He added that even some of those with modern houses were not spared especially if they are located in a swampy area or the houses were shabbily made.

Malam Saminu called on government to render assistance to the affected people to assuage their loss as many of them are peasant farmers.