21st day of August, 2024 will linger in the minds of Shuwa community of Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa state following a downpour that claimed six lives and displaced over 2,000 households.
Reports revealed that the disaster is the first in the history of the land as it devastated communities that include kirkinga the hometown of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Mildu, Maradi, Mayo Wandu, Shuware, Pambla 2, and Palam.
The downpour said to come from the Madara mountain of Madagali LGA and destroyed houses, foodstuff, farmlands, including Shuwa main Bridge, linking Madagali and Borno state.
it was gathered that the community has been experiencing heavy rainfall for the past four days, forcing the people of the area to sleep with their two eyes open.
In an interview with the chairman Madagali LGA Honourable Simon Musa narrated the bad experience which he said the community in its histroy has never experienced.
Simon explained that thousands of individuals displaced are now seeking refuge at 10 temporary camps established for the victims.
The chairman, attributing the cause of the flood to the downpour from the Mandara mountain, said apart from destroying the Shuwa Bridge and houses, foodstuff, farmlands f people, the flood caused extensive erosion.
“We learnt that it had been raining for consecutive four days in Mandara mountain,” he said, adding that further bouts of rain in Shuwa and other communities resulted in the unprecendented flood that that took lives and destroyed property, leaving the masses counting their loses.
He appealed to the federal and state government and humanitarian donors to come to help the affected communities.
Also speaking, the village head of Shuwa and that of Kirchinga Mustafa Mohammed Sanusi described the incident as unfortunate and pathetic, pleading for government’s intervention.
A victim identified simply as Hauwa, a mother of nine children, said, “Our house has been washed away. It’s only a plot of land that remains; but who are we to question God? I thank the Almighty for no life was lost in my family.”
Tafisu Adamu
