‘I thought I would die with my six children’ – dam collapse survivor

Fatima Yakubu cannot believe that she and her six children are still alive after a dam collapsed following torrential rains in north-eastern Nigeria.

The family, who live south of the city of Maiduguri near the Alau Dam, were asleep when their house began filling with water in the early hours of Tuesday.

“I woke up at 1am when I felt water on my legs,” the 26-year-old told the BBC.

“It was rising very fast, and I was so scared. I thought I was going to die with my children.”

She cried out in panic for help: “Some men heard me screaming and came to rescue us. I am grateful to God.”

Along with her children she has found refuge at Bakassi Camp, one of four centres set up for the hundreds of thousands of people who have been flooded out of their homes this week.

Until last year, the camp was occupied by those who had fled notorious Boko Haram Islamist militants, whose 15-year insurgency has caused havoc in a region where poverty is endemic.

Though diminished, the jihadists are still active and despite the closure of displacement camps, Maiduguri remains densely populated with many people still preferring its relative security to rural areas of Borno state.

The heavier than usual rains began towards the end of August – and it is still humid and pouring with rain as people try to deal with the aftermath of the dam’s collapse.

Locals living around the Alau Dam, which is about 20km (12 miles) south of the city on the Ngadda river, became worried about the structure as the waters in the reservoir steadily rose last week – and they alerted officials.

A delegation did go out to inspect the dam, but said there was nothing to worry about.

However around four days later it started to fracture, and the dam gave way. Within three hours water was pouring into Maiduguri as people slept – with some estimates suggesting nearly half of the city was covered.

The authorities are still scrambling to rescue people, and sometimes bodies, trapped in buildings.

Many public structures are affected, including hospitals and the prison.

The crisis has been compounded by the escape of some wild animals from the state zoo – and an estimated 40% of its animals have perished.

The Borno state government has ordered schools that only recently reopened after a long holiday, to close for two weeks.

Hundreds of residents can be seen walking through the knee-high floodwater along the popular Lagos Bridge, while most vehicles are unable to plough through the high volume of water.

Mothers clutch their children tightly as they wade through the streets, trying not to get swept away.

Some young people have been taking advantage by going swimming in areas where the water is at least 4ft (1.2m) deep.

The waters have begun to recede in some areas, though five communities are still inundated.

This is Borno state’s most devastating flood disaster in three decades, according to the UN and local media.

There are worries about an outbreak of waterborne diseases as most of the city’s network of sewers has collapsed, contaminating water sources.

‘’The governor has announced the constitution of a special health team that will analyse the situation,” Borno state spokesperson Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi told the BBC. “International partners, like the WHO [World Health Organization], have promised to support the government.”

Aid agencies say at least 37 people have died – but the authorities say it is too early to confirm this estimate.

“We can’t ascertain the figure yet. For the number of houses affected, we have to wait until the water level recedes,” Sirajo Garba, from the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) in Maiduguri, told the BBC.

The state governor, Babagana Zulum, has said that the floods may have affected up to a million people.

Hunger is now a major issue for those who have lost their belongings, homes and businesses.

At Bakassi Camp on Wednesday evening, a car pulled up at the gate and the driver began giving out loaves of bread to the crowds gathered.

But dozens of people then swooped on his vehicle and snatched everything through the wound-down windows.

“We don’t have enough food and essential supplies at the camp. People are always rushing for food,” said Ms Yakubu, who is shouldering the responsibility for looking after her children as her husband is staying with his second wife.

“My kids shared just one plate of meal today. They are still hungry while I haven’t eaten,” she said.

The family all share a mat placed on the ground in the open air – no other shelter is yet available. Fighting off mosquitos, she uses her hijab to cover her one-month-old baby.

Like many families, they are yet to be assigned sleeping areas as more tents are still being put up.

“My son and I have only taken kunu [a local drink made from sorghum or maize] today,” 23-year-old Aisha Muhammad told the BBC in tears.

Like many other women in the camp – finding something to eat is her main concern.

Nema said it would start distributing food soon – in additional to what the state government is doing.

The state spokesman explained that Governor Zulum visited the camp on Wednesday.

“He distributed 10,000 naira [$6; £5] to the head of each household as an immediate relief package while the government prepares something that’s more sustainable,” Mr Bundi said.

The four camps are currently housing around 6,000 people, according to Nema.

But there are thousands of others in desperate need of help – sleeping on the roads, under bridges, inside trucks and under vehicles.

Some have made makeshift tents with whatever is to hand, but they do a poor job of shielding them from the continuous rain.

As the emergency services deal with the deluged city, it is unclear when the damaged Alau Dam will be fixed.

‘’The reconstruction of the dam is a huge project that Borno state government alone cannot take care of. It is owned by the federal government,’’ Mr Bundi said.

Additional reporting by the BBC’s Yūsuf Akínpèlú, Imam Saleh and Gift Ufuoma.