10 more bodies recovered in Jibia flood, 2,604 displaced

The Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmmumum Kabir, said yesterday that 10 more bodies of victims of last week’s flood in Jibia have been recovered from the rubble of a collapsed building in the town.

The flood swept through the town on July 15, killing over 44 people and destroying more than 500 houses.

Kabir, who made the disclosure while receiving some dignitaries who paid him a condolence visit over the death of Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, the former Inspector General of Police at his place, said the decomposed bodies had been buried.

“The 10 persons were discovered when the people of the area started experiencing heavy smell coming from the collapsed building.

The residents reported the matter to the District Head of Jibia, Alhaji Mohammed Rabiu, who ordered a search of the area, and after some hours of search, the bodies were discovered it has been buried.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Katsina State, Dr. Aminu Waziri, has said 2,604 people were verified to have been displaced by the downpour in Jibia.

Speaking yesterday while giving an update of the situation in the affected area, Waziri said of the number, 65 were adult males, 559 adult females, while 1,804 were male children, and 908, female children.

He, however, said half of them have left the make-shift Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, and were staying with relations and friends.

The SEMA boss also said 466 houses were verified to have been lost, and that 60 per cent of the victims have received relief materials, including cash supports.

He said a joint committee involving personnel of the local government, state government, SEMA and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), were supervising distribution of relief materials.