Flood in Nigeria: Over 150 Tragedies and Massive Destruction of Communities
This week, Nigeria experienced a major natural disaster that brought immense suffering and destruction to many residents of the country. According to official information, the number of casualties from this season’s floods has already exceeded 150, and thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes in search of safe shelter. Despite all efforts by local authorities, the tragedy continues to escalate, leaving hundreds of families’ lives in ruins. Based on data from the news agency Reuters, citing a representative of Nigeria’s Emergency Management Agency, as of Friday, the death toll reached 151 people. The chief emergency response official — Ibrahim Audu Husaini — reported that over the past 24 hours, the number of victims has increased, and now more than 500 households across the country have suffered extensive damage due to flooding. At least three thousand citizens have been evacuated from shelters to escape the disaster. The most severe impact of the floods was in the central city of Mokuwa, located in Niger State. The catastrophe occurred Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning, leaving behind destroyed roads, collapsed buildings, and washed-out debris. Local rescue teams and volunteers are still working under difficult conditions, clearing debris, retrieving bodies, and trying to assist those affected. Efforts to mitigate the consequences of the disaster are ongoing, as many areas remain flooded. Meteorological services in the country had long warned about the high likelihood of floods during the rainy season, which began in Nigeria back in April. However, despite these forecasts, the scale of this year’s disaster proved especially devastating. According to data from 2022, the worst flooding wave in over ten years claimed more than 600 lives and caused a large-scale humanitarian crisis. Over 1.4 million citizens were forcibly displaced, and approximately 440,000 hectares of agricultural land were submerged, dealing a heavy blow to the country’s agricultural sector. Overall, the issue of flooding in Nigeria remains one of the most serious natural threats facing the country, especially during the rainy season. The government and civil society still have significant questions regarding the effectiveness of preventive measures and disaster management systems. Meanwhile, hundreds of people continue to struggle with the aftermath of this destructive disaster, while rescue teams are exerting maximum effort to save lives and restore affected areas.