No fewer than 11,356 persons were affected by flood in six local councils, with 5,200 people displaced, 30 persons injured and 15 deaths in the recent Kebbi State flood disaster.
Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, who was represented by the Head of the programmes, Suwaiba Yakubu-Jibrin, disclosed this to The Guardian, at the weekend, in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
She said rapid assessment findings showed 11,356 persons were affected by flood across the six local councils and it also affected their means of livelihood, including houses, crops as well as petty businesses.
“The flood was caused by heavy and continued rainfall as well as the excess release of water from Bakolori and Goronyo dams in Sokoto and Zamfara states respectively. Women, children, and vulnerable were worse hit,” she added.
Yakubu-Jibrin said ActionAid Nigeria had agreed to support about 350 households with food, non- food items, and dignity kits pack for women and girls of reproductive age at the cost of $37,334 across the state.
“The affected communities for our response include Gidan Agodan and zanginawa in Augie Local Council, Kende in Bagudo and Nama Goma in Gwandu Local Council. We are also mobilising resources to reach other flood survivors across the country,” she said.
Yakubu-Jibrin urged all levels of government to develop a more strategic response plan and take proactive measures to reduce the devastating effects of these disasters on households and farmlands.
She said the government’s strategic emergency response plan should include the relocation of people to upland, construction of bridges and waterways for overflow, dredging, and clearing of drainage.
She, therefore, called on the government to prioritise response for Internally- Displaced Persons (IDPs) by providing sufficient food and non-food items, renovating existing camps, and setting up more camps to avoid overcrowding in line with Covid19 safety guidelines.
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