From Ahmad Saka, Bauchi
Floods have have taken over not less than 200 houses and 300 farmlands at Gadiya village in Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
The devastating floods have left villagers stranded, according to the village head of Gadiya, Alhaji Yau Umar who said over 100 people have become refuges in his palace, while hundreds of others resorted to stay in the mosque and schools for temporary shelter.
He said over 200 people lost their homes and over 300 farms were taken over by the floods.
The village head appealed to the Government and philanthropists to come to their aid.
A resident, Amina Gadiya who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday via telephone, said the floods destroyed almost half of the village because many houses in the village were built of mud.
She said many farmlands belonging to the villagers were washed away, and expressed concern over what she termed the state government’s nonchalant attitude to the plight Gadiya people and surrounding communities.
She said they were facing the crises of lack of food, shelter and clothes as many people in the village lost their jobs while children were crying of hunger.
Amina appealed to Nigerians to keep the villagers in prayers for divine interventions, adding that kindhearted people should come forward to assist them in whatever ways they could to put an end to the sufferings.
Some residents said they could not sleep many days before they were eventually sacked from their abodes by the floods.
Residents told our reporter that the men in the village spent several hours rescuing women, children and those trapped in collapsed houses as emergency rescue team from authorities were not fothcoming.
Effort to get the comment of officials of the State Emergency Management Agency failed as senior officials of the agency said they need superior clearance before they could give information.
They however confirmed that many houses and farmlands in Gadiya were destroyed, and that they were waiting for approval and release of government assistance that they wl take to the victims.
