At least 111 people have lost their lives following devastating floods triggered by torrential rains in central Nigeria, according to officials from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).
The deadly downpours, which lasted several hours, struck the town of Mokwa, submerging entire neighborhoods and sweeping away more than 50 residential houses with their occupants, said NSEMA Director General Abullahi Baba-Arah.
The hardest-hit areas include the Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa districts of Mokwa, where floodwaters wreaked havoc, displacing families and destroying property.
“This is the worst flooding the community has seen in 60 years,” said Mokwa District Head Muhammad Shaba Aliyu, who issued an emotional plea for urgent government support.
The Nigerian government has expressed its “profound sorrow” over the disaster. Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris confirmed that both security forces and emergency responders have been deployed to assist in search and rescue operations, which are still ongoing.
Local residents have also shared heartbreaking accounts of the destruction. One fisherman, Danjuma Shaba, told AFP, “I don’t have a house to sleep in. My house has already collapsed.”
Flooding is a recurring challenge in Nigeria during the April to October rainy season, but officials warn that this year could be particularly severe. Authorities have already issued alerts for heavy rainfall in at least 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states.
This is the latest in a series of tragic flooding events in Nigeria. In 2022, floods displaced over 1.3 million people and led to more than 600 deaths. The following year, several parts of northern Nigeria again faced serious flooding, resulting in loss of lives and widespread destruction.
As rescue efforts continue in Mokwa, officials fear the death toll could rise, and are urging communities in high-risk zones to take precautionary measures.
