Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina state, on Monday said over 44 people had lost their lives while 20 others were still missing following the Sunday flood disaster in Jibia local government area of the state.
Masari, who said this after inspecting the affected areas in the local government, said more than 500 houses were destroyed while thousands of people rendered homeless.
He said that scores of animals were also killed during the disaster, which occurred on Sunday night and lasted for over three hours.
“I can say that I have never seen this kind of disaster in my life. The water level is above 10 feet height and it is a purely a natural disaster as the government had constructed drainages that were emptying into Jibia river,” he said.
“The water from the river moved in a reverse order and come back to the town and caused the flooding. I saw a groom of three days old who lost his bride and still searching for her.”
The governor said his administration had already relocated the victims to a primary school in the area.
He also explained that he had informed the federal government about the disaster, saying NEMA had already brought 13 trucks loaded with relief materials for distribution to the victims.
The governor said he had directed the state ministry of environment to look into the possibility of diverting the water from direct contact with the river.
The downpour, which started at about 11p.m. on Sunday night and stopped around 1a.m. Monday, also claimed lives of about 260 livestock and destroyed farmlands in the area.
District Head of Jibia, Alhaji Rabe Rabi’u, confirmed the development, saying “we have discovered 25 corpse, including mothers and children and many are still missing.
“Over 260 cows, sheep and goats were killed by the flood. The heavy rainfall started around 11 p.m. on Sunday night and stopped by 1a.m. this morning (yesterday). A resident in the area said the downpour caused the rivers in the affected villages to overflow their banks, resulting in loss of lives and properties.
The source said a food vendor, Halima Zubairu Jibia, and two of her children, were killed by the flood, which swept away her container shop around Sabuwar Mosque area of Jibia.
Meanwhile, several persons have also been rendered homeless from the downpour which affected about 10 communities. The communities badly affected include Kwata, Dantudu, Sabuwar, Tukare, Tsohuwar Tukare and Ungwar Mai Kwari.