Abuja: Flooding in Nigeria’s Niger State has claimed the lives of 151 people this week, with thousands more displaced from their homes, an emergency official told Reuters on Saturday.
Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, director of information at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, updated the death toll from the 117 reported on Friday. He also revealed that the floods have affected over 500 households and displaced more than 3,000 individuals.
The flooding struck the central town of Mokwa on Wednesday night and continued through Thursday morning. Rescue teams have been tirelessly sifting through mud and debris in search of survivors and victims in the days following the disaster.
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Nigeria frequently experiences flooding during its rainy season, which began in April this year. The country faced a devastating flood in 2022, marking the worst in over a decade. That event resulted in more than 600 deaths, the displacement of approximately 1.4 million people, and destruction of 440,000 hectares (1.09 million acres) of farmland.
The ongoing floods underscore the urgent need for enhanced disaster preparedness and response measures in the region to mitigate future risks.
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