Two Children Dead, Over 20 Houses Collapse as Flood Ravages Community

By Usman HARUNA ✔

 

At least two children have died and several residents have been hospitalised after a heavy downpour triggered flooding and building collapses in Gandun Sarki community, Malam Madori Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The incident occurred during a heavy rain that lasted for more than an hour on Thursday night and affected several communities across the Hadejia Senatorial District.

According to reports from the affected community, more than 20 houses collapsed during the downpour while several other homes were submerged or surrounded by floodwaters, forcing families to flee to safer locations.

One of the major tragedies occurred when a building collapsed in the early hours of Friday while occupants were asleep.

The father of the two victims, identified as Sama’ila, said his children, aged five and eight, died after the room they were sleeping in collapsed.

Other members of the family were injured and rushed to Hadejia General Hospital for treatment.

An affected resident, Sani Abubakar, said his house was completely destroyed by the flood and appealed to the Jigawa State Government and relevant emergency agencies to provide urgent assistance, including shelter and relief materials.

Community leader Malam Jamilu Bulama confirmed the incident and said local leaders had been directed to compile the names of affected households and victims for submission to the appropriate authorities.

Residents also noted that drainage systems and culverts constructed by the state government helped to reduce the impact of the flood in some parts of the community.

Despite the destruction recorded, the Hadejia Zonal Public Relations Officer, Musa Muhammad, confirmed that the authorities were aware of the incident, casualties and damage to houses, adding that the zonal office was monitoring the situation.

As affected families begin to assess their losses, residents are calling for urgent government intervention, temporary shelter and relief materials for those displaced by the disaster.

The latest flooding has also renewed concerns over the vulnerability of communities across the Hadejia area as the rainy season continues, with residents urging authorities to strengthen drainage infrastructure and emergency response measures.