Flash floods kill 40 in Jos, Nigeria

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The Nigerian city of Jos is in the news once again and this time it's not a security issue, but the wrath of mother nature. Flash floods have killed at least 40 people following a heavy rain storm. The two worst affected areas were Gangare and Rikkos.

He is obviously still in shock.The last thing Khalid here remembers is that he was in school at Rikkos in Jos when it started to rain heavily and simply refused to stop.His entire immediate family of 6 including both his parents died in the flooding.

Survivor Khalid said, "The rains started and my mother called me.She wanted to know how I was doing.By the time I got home,I was told that both my parents and 4 siblings had been swept away in the flooding."

The stories are numerous and the same depressing thread runs through them, Ibrahim is a school drop-out who says that the water was at least 5 feet high.He doesn’t remember much rain but says floods from somewhere rendered his family of 25 homeless.

Survivor Ibrahim Aliyu said, "My mother was going to pray at about 9.30 when she heard a big sound.by the time she came out,the house had been swept away."

This family is picking up the pieces.They are basically trying to save as many building materials as they can.

A survivor said, "We are grateful that nobody died and we are trying to gather these building materials so that we can rebuild."

This is Gangare,a suburb in Jos,Northern Nigeria that has been hit by flash floods.The authorities actually issued a warning asking people to clear drainages but as often happens,it was ignored and this is what happened.

With the flooding,there has been some controversy with regard to casualty figures. but the federation of muslim women is among organizations who have been involved in rescue efforts in all the affected neighbourhoods.

Salma Musa, Federation of Muslim Women of Nigeria, said, "Actually as we came here this morning, some people are bringing relief materials, so that we can distribute to the victims."

Just as in lagos,Nigeria’s meteorological authorities predict that there will be yet more flooding in the months to come.