Flood Destroys Houses, Farmlands in Kirfi, Bauchi

From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi 

Heavy down pour and flood has destroyed many houses, Farmlands at Cheledi community in Kirfi Local Government Area of the State. 

Flood triggered by torrential rain on Thursday resulted to the over flow of water from the surrounding mountains to submerged the community, destroyed houses Farmlands and displaced msny householdsAddressing newsmen today at the Government House Bauchi, Secretary to the State Government Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim at the end of their meeting with the affected community, said no life was lost in the disaster and urged the victims to take it as an act of God. 

He said the state government would conduct a damage assessment exercise with a view to provide emergency intervention to mitigate the sufferings of the victims.

Kashim said the state Government engaged the the services of Triacta and other construction companies to move to kirfi today to address the problem once and for all.

The Director General of the agency Dr Ibrahim Kabir Bauchi State Environmental Protection Agency (BASEPA) Said after assessment Government now understood that the problem was as a result of one Dam constructed in the area and now Government engaged construction firms they will jointly mobilized their equipments to the site today to address the problem.. " when we enter we will not come out until after we finished the work"

He said State Emergency Management Agency SEMA is going to access the damages in order to know the actual number of years people involved, houses and farmlands.

Member Representing Kirfi constituency in the State House of Assembly Abdulkadir Umar Dewu said the Problem is a threat to Cheledi and Kirfi Communities, it had happened last year and this year but we are happy with the bold steps taking by the state Government which will addressed the problem. 

Also speaking,Alhaji Bello   Mohammed village Head of Cheledi, commended the government for taking a bold step to address the problem

In a telephone interview with Some of the displaced persons, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi and Malama Hauwa’u Aliyu, urged the state government to ban constrution of houses and other structures on water ways in the area. 

They said the flood was caused by the lack of drains to ease flow of water and control flooding in the area. “Water rushed from the mountains destroying houses on its way. “Some of the displaced persons are taking refuge in schools and their relatives in the community."