Concerned about the devastating impact of flooding in Kano, the state government has implemented short-term measures to mitigate the loss of valuables and the obstruction caused by the natural disaster.

Consequently, the government announced the construction of a major drainage channel at Badawa roundabout in the city metropolis, designed to carry more than half of the city’s runoff.

The Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change in the state, Dr. Dahiru Hashim, assured that he was aware of the situation while responding to Thursday’s heavy rainfall that caused flooding across large parts of the city centre, disrupting both human and vehicular movement.

Although the commissioner disclosed that the heavy downpour, which lasted over three hours in many locations, was unusual in both intensity and duration, he noted that the aftermath was not unexpected, considering the impact of climate change.

The commissioner, however,, assured the residents of his ministry’s capacity to tackle the urban flooding through sustainable measures to safeguard lives and property.

He said, “Rising global temperatures had increased atmospheric moisture, resulting in prolonged and heavy rainfall that overwhelmed drainage systems in the state capital.

“This phenomenon is not unique to Kano. Similar incidents have been recorded in Lagos, Calabar, Abuja, as well as in cities across Europe, the United States, and Asia.

“It underscores the global dimension of the climate crisis and the urgent need for cities to adapt to new realities.”

Dr. Hashim worried that the problem had been further compounded by rapid urban expansion, inadequate drainage, and clogged waterways, which reduced natural water absorption and worsened the effects of the rainfall.

To permanently address the environmental crisis, the commissioner hinted at a plan to propose spendings in the 2026 fiscal appropriation for new drainage master plan for Kano. He reminded that existing system is no longer adequate to withstand further climate induced rainfall patterns.

The ministry assured residents that plans are being made to build a resilient drainage system in Kano metropolis.