It was the first major rainfall in Mokwa and its environ. Before the devastating downpour, the sky was enveloped in total darkness signifying an inevitable rainstorm. And, by the time the hailstorm descended like a firestorm, all hell had been let loose.
Nobody could predict the magnitude, duration or the intensity of the downpour. Thus, within a few minutes of the change in weather, the downpour started and lasted for several hours till late night, reports Vanguard.
It was seen to be the same normal rainfall at the beginning but at the end of the downpour, there were tales of woe by the people of Mokwa largely because the torrential rain took them by surprise and wreaked havoc of monumental proportion by the time it receded.
The high intensity of rain led to the collapse of walls and fences of houses, and all barriers that would have saved structures on the ground. The resultant flood came with fury, sweeping away everything on its way-men, women, children and animals along with makeshift houses, farm produce and all.
Initially, 21 bodies were picked, but within one week, the death toll from the brutal rainstorm had swept away no fewer than 158 souls and their belongings. Those who were lucky to be rescued sustained various degrees of injuries, and were either left in the hospital or internally displaced persons homes. No fewer than 5000 persons have so far been admitted in IDPs spread across the state.
Many family members are still missing many days after the deadly flooding. One of the survivors, Rabi Musa, said she lost her husband and three children to the flood.
Rabi said: “My husband was a teacher at Hakimi Aliyu School in Mokwa. I was breastfeeding my last child when the flood violently invaded our room. We immediately rushed out, with the baby in my hand and three of the other children in the room.
“My husband rushed back to the room in an attempt to rescue the three other children; but unfortunately, as he opened the door, the torrential rain swept him and the three children away. From a short distance, I looked at them helplessly as they were being carried off until I saw them no more,” she sobbed uncontrollably.
Another survivor, Malam Balarabe Isah, said he lost all his three wives and seven children to the rampaging flood. His properties, he said, were also lost.
“I don’t know how I survived the tragic flood. I have never seen this type of rain or flood in my life.
“All of us were already in our different apartments when the rain suddenly entered our compound and trapped us in our different rooms.
“Out of my curiosity, I stood up to check the gravity of the unending rainfall and started checking my family in each of the rooms. Few minutes after I stood up, I was in the second room when the rain came in full force and swept off my wives, children and properties in a twinkle of an eye.
“Help could neither come from me or any other person because everyone was rushing to upper ground for survival and that was how I saw my wives and children washed away,” Isah declared.
Isaac, another victim, said he recently collected a loan and equipped his digital photo laboratory, but lost all the machines to the flood.
“I have just equipped my photo laboratory with latest equipment. The new generator, printing machines, among other photo equipment totaling about N40m but everything, was swept away and I am left with nothing now,” he narrated.
ECONOMIC/HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
Following the tragic development, buying and selling and other commercial activities have taken a deep plunge.
Mokwa town, which is the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Council, and its environs, have been thrown into perpetual darkness. Life has become a nightmare in the city and the people have been exposed to untold hardship they never envisaged.
Electricity and running water, which had been epileptic in the area for the past years are now completely off, forcing some residents to resort to using generators to pump water from their boreholes to sell to the public.
Consequently, a bag of sachet water which was sold at N300 before the incident, now sells for between N400-N500, while those with generators and solar-powered electricity, also make brisk money from charging telephone for N200 for those who need their services.
The Mokwa General Hospital is also filled up with patients from the devastating flooding.
Electricity and water supply to the hospital and other health institutions can best be described as nothing to write home about and this could lead to breakout of diseases.
EFFECT ON FOOD PRODUCTION
Residents of Mokwa are predominantly farmers. Though the planting season has just commenced, most of the farmers have cultivated acres of land and planted crops like melon, maize, millet among others, which were sadly washed away by the rampaging flood.
Some of them had invested heavily on the farms out of the loans from banks or from their cooperative societies which they are due to be paying back soon.
One of such big time farmers, a leader of the Yoruba community in Mokwa town, Yeye Alaba Bodede, told Arewa Voice that he had injected more than N500,000 into his farm just few weeks ago, but that all was gone.
Bodede said: “At the start of the rain, I had, as usual, planted maize, millet, melon, among others. I had also cultivated a vast land to plant other crops like potatoes, yams, rice among others but I have lost all. Thank God for my life and that of my entire family because once there is life, there is hope”.
Alhaji Nuhu who is a motor dealer in Mokwa town and who has recently ventured into rice milling had all his milling machines, including bags of rice and other food stuffs, washed away.
“Though my properties are gone, I still thank God for the lives of my wife, children and relatives, and it is when you have life that one can plan for the future. So I appreciate God for sparing our lives,” he said in a rather sober voice.
At the Mokwa General Hospital, those with injuries were being treated while many with serious cases were either referred to Federal Medical Center, Bida or Ilorin Teaching Hospital for more intensive care.
SITUATION AT THE TEMPORARY CAMP
Many who were displaced have been taken to a primary school in Mokwa town to serve as a temporary shelter for them.
Our Correspondent however gathered that the camp is devoid of the basic amenities like water, health facilities, mattresses among others, to make them a little bit comfortable.
Meanwhile, Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road is the only major access to the Northern part of the country. But that access has been cut off following the heavy flooding that washed not less than three bridges and rail track there. This has created crisis in vehicular movement from the South to the North and vice versa.
The situation is already causing serious problems for people travelling for the Eid-El-Kabir (Sallah) celebration. Many who decided to beave it are already trapped on the road. Our correspondent reports that only those with small vehicles are able to navigate through the bushes to make it to their destinations.
There had been cases of flooding in Mokwa in the past and the major causes had always been mostly as a result of opening of the Kainji/Jebba Dams. But such has never been as devastating as the present case, especially the high death toll.
The Authorities of both KainjiDam/Jebba Dam, it was gathered, have explained that they did not release water that could lead to flooding of that magnitude, especially as much as was experienced last week.
The tragic flooding still remains a mystery, and the state government, through the Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, has declared that it will investigate the root cause of the incident so as to guard against future occurrence.
