Mokwa: The Nigerian Red Cross Society has constructed 47 temporary shelters, rehabilitated boreholes, and other facilities for flood victims in Mokwa, Niger.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the National President of the society, Oluyemisi Adeaga, announced during the inauguration in Mokwa that two boreholes were rehabilitated in Mokwa and two in the Rabba community to ensure access to potable water. The society also distributed 500 sanitary kits to women and girls of childbearing age and 500 non-food items to families to aid them during the recovery process.
Items such as plastic buckets, jerry cans, and water purification tablets were distributed to guarantee access to clean drinking water. 'Dignity kits, such as tools for handwashing, were also provided at the temporary shelter site to promote proper hygiene and dignity,' Adeaga stated.
The initiative aims to alleviate the suffering of families displaced by the flood and provide safe spaces for them. Adeaga emphasized that the society's work extends beyond responding to the current disaster by also preparing the community for future challenges.
The society engaged the affected residents in hygiene promotion, market sensitization, focus group discussions, community meetings, flood preparedness simulations, and first aid training to mitigate future disasters. Adeaga urged Nigerians to collaborate with the society in its emergency efforts, highlighting the importance of volunteers.
He also noted that the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency had warned that 30 states and over 1,200 communities were at high risk of flooding, underscoring the need to mitigate potential impacts.
Sarkin Hausawa, Alhaji Tanko Bala, expressed gratitude to the Red Cross for providing shelters and dignity kits to women affected by the flood, acknowledging their significant assistance to the victims. Victims like Loretta Abubakar and Salisu Suleiman also expressed their appreciation to the Red Cross for their support.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Mokwa flood, which occurred on May 29, claimed 207 lives, affected 458 households, displaced 3,534 persons, and destroyed property worth billions of Naira.