Nigerian Red Cross Society has constructed 47 temporary shelters, rehabilitated boreholes, and provided facilities for victims of the Mokwa flood in Niger State.
The National President of the society, Oluyemisi Adeaga, said during the inauguration on Friday in Mokwa that two boreholes were rehabilitated in Mokwa and two in Rabba community to enable residents to access potable water.
Adeaga said the society also distributed 500 sanitary kits to women and girls of childbearing age, as well as 500 non-food items to families, to restore their confidence and strength during the recovery process.
According to him, items such as plastic buckets, jerry cans, and water purification tablets were distributed to ensure clean drinking water. “Dignity kits, such as tools for handwashing, were also provided at the temporary shelter site to promote proper hygiene and dignity,” he said.
He explained that the initiative aimed to alleviate the suffering of families displaced by the flood and to provide safe spaces for them to thrive.
Adeaga noted that the society’s work was not only about responding to the current disaster but also preparing communities for future challenges. He said the organisation engaged residents in hygiene promotion, market sensitisation, focus group discussions, community meetings, flood preparedness simulation, and first aid trainings to mitigate future disasters.
He called on Nigerians to collaborate with the Nigerian Red Cross Society in its emergency efforts, stressing that its strength lay not only in its name but also in its volunteers.
Adeaga also noted that the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency had warned that 30 states and more than 1,200 communities were at high risk of flooding, reiterating the need to mitigate the anticipated impacts.
In his remarks, Sarkin Hausawa, Alhaji Tanko Bala, thanked the Red Cross for building shelters and providing dignity kits to women affected by the flood, saying it would go a long way in assisting victims.
One of the victims, Loraita Abubakar, expressed appreciation to the Red Cross for the donation. Another victim, Salisu Suleiman, said, “We are happy with the gesture; this will go a long way to assist us and our families.”
Correspondents report 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.
(NAN)