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.
A devastating flood caused serious havoc in Mokwa, a town in Niger State recently and survivors are still battling with the aftermath of the tragedy.
It was the first significant rainfall in Mokwa and its surrounding areas. Before the torrential downpour began, the sky turned pitch black, signaling an impending storm. When the hailstorm finally struck with the force of a firestorm, chaos erupted.
Nobody could predict the magnitude, duration or the intensity of the downpour. Thus, within few minutes of the change in weather, the downpour started and lasted for several hours till late night.
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.
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