The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has reported that heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc across 33 communities in the state, destroying approximately 2,517 houses and shops.
This devastating impact was confirmed by Ibrahim Nalado, the Deputy Director of Relief and Rehabilitation at SEMA, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Gombe.
The communities hardest hit by the downpour are located within Dukku, Funakaye, and Billiri Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Fortunately, no lives were lost in the disaster. However, two children sustained injuries in Dukku LGA, and seven animals were reportedly washed away by the floods.
Nalado highlighted that the Hina community in Yamaltu/Deba LGA was particularly affected, with around 1,000 hectares of farmland submerged under floodwaters. The farmlands, which were being prepared for harvest, included crops such as rice, maize, sorghum, and millet.
“The farmers were getting ready to harvest their crops,” Nalado stated.
“The farmers were so worried, but because it was a natural phenomenon, they accepted it in good fate.”
In addition to the destruction in Gombe State, similar flooding has affected the neighboring state of Yobe, where about 1,650 houses were destroyed in the towns of Jajere and Yunusari.
As the rainy season continues, the affected communities are facing significant challenges, and efforts to provide relief and support are ongoing.
SEMA and other agencies are working to assess the full extent of the damage and to assist those displaced by the floods.