The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says floods destroyed no fewer than 14,496 farmlands across five local government areas in Kano.

NEMA director-general Mustapha Ahmed-Habib disclosed this during a damage assessment tour in the affected communities in Warawa and Wudil LGAs.

He said 1,113 farms had been submerged at Warawa Gishiri-Wuya, 1,135 in Larabar Gadon-Sarki, and 4,808 farms wilt to flooding in Wudil. 

According to him, the flood also destroyed 1,405 farms in Bebeji, 260 in Rano and 5,775 others in Dawakin Kudu.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the agency to conduct a damage assessment exercise to assist the disaster victims.

“We came for an assessment tour at Wudil, Gishiri Wuya and Larabar Gadon-Sarki, but due to the nature of the road, we have to stop. We can’t cross over. Our cars are getting stocked,” said Mr Ahmed-Habib. “We will also conduct an on-the-spot assessment tour in flood-affected communities across the country.”

The NEMA boss added that the agency would submit a report of the exercise to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, noting that the government would provide intervention to support the victims.

Saleh Jili, the executive secretary of the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), attributed the flood to the release of excess water from the Tiga Dam.

One of the flood victims, Nasiru Qayya, urged the government to assist the victims, asking the Kano government to rehabilitate the Ladi Makole-Larabar Gadon-Sarki access road cut off by the flood. 

(NAN)