Flooding in Nigeria following torrential rain has left nearly 120 dead and massive destruction | Credits: Mikail Musa
The central region of Nigeria was hit by hours of torrential rain Friday and at least 117 people died in the floods that ensued, said Abullahi Baba-Arah, the head of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (Nasema).
The downpours lasted several hours, and “surging flood water submerged and washed away over 50 residential houses with their occupants in the town of Mokwa, the official told the BBC. In videos and photos on social media, floodwaters covered neighbourhoods and homes were submerged, with their roofs barely visible above the brown currents. Waist-deep in water, residents tried to salvage what they could or rescue others, the Associated Press (AP) said.
The Nigerian government has expressed “profound sorrow” over the floods, according to a British news outlet. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said that security and emergency agencies have been directed to assist in the search and rescue operation.
‘I beg the government for support’
Nsema released a statement saying the Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa districts of Mokwa were the most affected by the rains and floods.
Mokwa’s District Head, Muhammad Shaba Aliyu, told the BBC that “60 years” had passed since the community had suffered this level of flooding. “I beg the government to support us,” Mr Aliyu added.
Mokwa, located nearly 380 kilometres (236 miles) west of Abuja, is a major meeting point where traders from the south purchase beans, onions, and other foodstuffs from farmers in the north, according to AP.
The search and rescue operation is still ongoing, and officials leading the operation have stated that many more people are still at risk.
Flooding is frequent during the rainy season
A local fisherman told the AFP news agency that he had been left homeless. “I don’t have a house to sleep in. My house has already collapsed,” Danjuma Shaba said.
Nigeria frequently experiences flooding during the rainy season, which typically lasts from April to October. Local officials have warned of heavy downpours in at least 15 of the country’s 36 states.
Last year, according to the BBC, many parts of northern Nigeria experienced heavy water downpours and extreme flooding, which caused dozens of deaths, displacements and home destruction.
The country also suffered severe flooding in 2022. That year, over 1.3 million people were forced out of their homes and over 600 died.
