Nearly US $3 million flood damage in Jigawa

The authorities in the northern Nigerian state of Jigawa have estimated the damage to villages and farmlands following the collapse of the Tiga/Challawa dam last week at around 300 million naira (US $2.7 million), PANA reported on Wednesday. State Commissioner for Information Garba Gumel said that 228 villages in 24 of the 27 local councils were affected by the floods and some 40,000 people were rendered homeless, PANA reported. Gumel said the state government had asked the federal government for help. Neighbouring Kano State, also affected by the floods, has appealed for aid for some 500,000 victims, PANA reported. Torrential rains led to the collapse of the dam which caused of the rivers Kano and Hadehia to overflow.