The tragic flooding incident in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger state has led to the death of at least 153 persons, with the destruction of homes, and displacement of thousands of residents.
Waters overflowed its banks into the homes of people on Wednesday night after torrential rains from Wednesday night till Thursday morning.
According to reports from Channels Television, The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) confirmed that the death toll had risen sharply from 115 after floods hit the town of Mokwa.
NSEMA’s Acting Director General, Ibrahim Hussaini, said that more dead bodies were recovered late yesterday beneath the bridge in Mokwa and were subsequently buried this morning.
According to the latest figures released, a total of 3,018 individuals have been affected, comprising 503 households.The number of injured persons stands at 11, while the floodwaters have damaged three bridges.
In Ndayako, another community affected by the flooding, there were no reported deaths, although 98 people were impacted, with 58 houses and 17 households sustaining damage.
Similarly, in Raba, no deaths were reported, but five houses were affected and one bridge was damaged.
The agency has continued to monitor the situation closely and is coordinating relief efforts with relevant authorities to assist affected communities.
The figures of the displaced persons have now reached 3000 according to Hussein, with 121 injured in the hospital and more than 100 people missing.
Nigeria is not new to the heavy rainfall which accompanies the rainy season lasting for close to six months. However, the country records flooding yearly which usually affects lives and properties.
Scientists have also warned that climate change is fuelling more extreme weather patterns.
Reports from AFP show that roads were still inundated in Mokwa on Friday, and the NSEMA’s DG confirmed that his team would need excavators to reach bodies feared buried under the rubble.
The Residents in the town are still searching for missing family members as relatives cry out. The Red Cross Chief confirmed that search is still ongoing for missing people.
“We can’t give up the search as long as there are families crying out,” said Adamu, the Red Cross chief.
“If there were some bodies that were carried away by the flooding, we’ll find them in the farmland on the Jebba side,” he added.
According to a tally provided by Husseini, 151 people were killed, 3,018 were displaced, 265 houses were destroyed, and two bridges were washed away in the busy market town.
Floods in Nigeria are exacerbated by inadequate drainage, the construction of homes on waterways, and the dumping of waste in drains and water channels.
“This tragic incident serves as a timely reminder of the dangers associated with building on waterways and the critical importance of keeping drainage channels and river paths clear,” the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said in a statement.
Complicating the search for missing persons was the presence of a large group of travellers staying overnight in a Mokwa mosque when the rains hit, Adamu said. The building collapsed, and it was still unknown where the people had been travelling from.
President Bola Tinubu said the disaster response was being aided by security forces.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had earlier this year warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday.
In 2024, floods killed 321 people across 34 of Nigeria’s 36 states, according to NEMA.
