Death Toll in Niger State Flooding Rises Above 100
More than 100 people were killed by flash floods that swept over sections of Niger State on Friday, according to an emergency services official, with the death toll anticipated to grow further.
Rescue teams continued to hunt for missing individuals after severe rains washed away and drowned scores of homes in and around Mokwa, Niger State.
“We have so far recovered 115 bodies, and more are expected to be recovered because the flood came from a long distance and washed people into the River Niger,” Ibrahim Audu Husseini, a spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, told AFP.
“We are still recovering bodies downstream.” So, the toll keeps growing,” he said.
He stated that many people were still missing, mentioning a family of twelve in which just four members had been found.
“Some bodies were recovered from the debris of collapsed homes,” he added, adding that his crews will require excavators to rescue corpses from beneath the rubble.
Hussaini Isah, the person in charge of coordinating the search and rescue operation, had previously provided a provisional toll of 88.
An AFP correspondent witnessed emergency personnel conducting search and rescue operations while locals combed through the rubble of collapsed buildings, with floodwaters rushing nearby.
Mohammed Tanko, a 29-year-old public servant, pointed to his childhood home and told reporters, “We lost at least 15 from this house. The property no longer exists”. We have lost everything.”
Fisherman Danjuma Shaba, 35, reported rough sleeping in a parking lot.
“I do not have a place to sleep in.” My house has already collapsed,” Shaba explained.
Nigeria’s rainy season, which generally lasts six months, is just getting started this year.
Flooding, which is typically driven by heavy rains and poor infrastructure, wreaks havoc every year, killing hundreds of people across the West African country.
Scientists have also cautioned that climate change is already resulting in more extreme weather events.
In Nigeria, floods are exacerbated by poor drainage, the development of dwellings on waterways, and rubbish dumping in drains and water channels.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has warned of probable flash floods in 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, including Niger, between Wednesday and Friday.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency, the 2024 floods killed over 1,200 people and displaced 1.2 million in at least 31 of Nigeria’s 36 states, making them one of the country’s deadliest in decades.