…”17 members of my household lost their lives to the flood disaster” – Victim
The iNews Times reports that the devastating flood disaster that ravaged Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, has claimed over 100 lives and no fewer than 100 people are still missing.
The iNews Times had reported that the incident occurred on Wednesday night during a torrential rainfall that lasted several hours, submerging homes and sweeping away everything in its path.
According to eyewitnesses, the death toll is likely much higher, with many corpses, especially those of Almajirai (Qur’anic school pupils), yet to be accounted for.
The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Mr. Yakubu Garba, confirmed the casualty figure during a visit to the affected community, adding that search and rescue operations were still ongoing.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) are working together to coordinate search and rescue operations.
NSEMA Director-General, Baba-Arah, said the agency received a report of the disaster and quickly launched a response to save lives and recover the dead.
One of the victims, Anas Usman, told iNews Times that 17 members of his household lost their lives to the disaster.
Another resident, Salihu Ishaq, revealed that his sister and her three children were swept away by the flood, and their corpses had yet to be found.
The Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Mohammed Bago, Jonathan Vatsa, said the flood destroyed the only road linking the North to the South-West and plunged the entire state into mourning.
He stressed the need for urgent intervention from the Federal Government, saying the situation was beyond the capacity of the state government.
The government has begun distributing relief materials to the affected families, but the scale of the disaster has left many residents in dire need of assistance, iNews Times learnt.
