Olusegun Ariyo
Settlements around Shuwa, a town in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, have been hit by torrential rainfall, which led to flood that has claimed six lives as it disconnects communities
The flood displaced 10,264 people now registered as refugees in several camps on safer grounds around the area.
Witnesses said the disaster, unprecedented in the area, caused particular devastation on communities that included Kirkinga, the hometown of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, as well as Mildu, Duhu, Maiwandu, Maradi, Mayo Wandu, Shuware, Pambla 2, and Palam.
The heaviest rain, said to have occurred in the nearby Madara mountain and which was accompanied by more rains in other communities down the mountain, caused the flood that destroyed houses and foodstuffs and other domestic valuables and washed off farmlands.
Importantly, the Shuwa main Bridge along which commuters pass to neighbouring Borno State, was destroyed.
A source put the number of partially destroyed houses at 184, with 251 others totally destroyed.
Urban Express News Online gathered on Saturday that the communities in the Madagali axis had been experiencing heavy rainfalls for four days, making residents apprehensive of what would happen next.
A victim, Abu Ibrahim, said, “Our house has been washed away; but who are we to question God? I thank the Almighty for no life was lost in my family.”
The village head of Shuwa/Kirchinga, Mustafa Sanusi said the incident was unfortunate and pleaded for government’s intervention.
The Chairman of Madagali LGA, Simon Musa, while speaking to journalists reiterating that the affected communities had never had it so bad, affirmed that thousands of individuals displaced were now seeking refuge at eight temporary camps located mostly in premises of schools.
Attributing the cause of the flood to the downpour from the Mandara mountain, the council chairman said apart from destroying the Shuwa Bridge and houses, foodstuff, and farmlands of people, the flood caused extensive erosion.
He said he learnt from people around the Mandara mountain that it had been raining there for consecutive four days, adding that further rain in Shuwa and other communities down the mountain resulted in the unprecedented flood.
He appealed to authorities of federal and state governments and humanitarian organizations to reach out to the affected people.
Checks reveal that while the flood in Madagali LGA occurred on Wednesday August 21, an earlier one had taken place on August 20 in Shelleng LGA of Adamawa State when the Kiri Dam in Tudun Tsira overflowed its banks, resulting in severe flooding across communities, which included Kwakwambe, Lure, Nbalang, Imburu, and Bare in neighbouring Numan Local Government Area.
