As Nigeria continues to be pounded by torrential rains, thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes, and 179 people have lost their lives in floods that are expected to get worse, according to emergency officials.
After a “few weeks” of torrential rain, flooding in some parts of Nigeria has killed at least 179 people and displaced almost 200,000 more, according to an emergency official.
The majority of the fatalities occurred in the northern section of the nation, but as the rain gets heavier, NEMA spokesman Ezekiel Manzo warned on Thursday that the country’s middle and southern regions would be more severely affected.
He did not specify the precise time when the killings and relocations had taken place.
“The collection of water from the northern part flowing downward will also mean that the situation being witnessed the same in central and southern parts of the country will become worse,” Manzo told the AFP news agency.
Thus far, Nigeria’s north has experienced the majority of the country’s significant flooding.
According to data released by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), at least 107,600 hectares (265,885 acres) of farmlands have also been impacted.
There is increased risk for communities near the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers. According to Manzo, there have been floods in certain areas of the nation that were not previously thought to be vulnerable to them.
early alerts
Flooding has historically wreaked significant havoc in the most populous nation in Africa. Flooding is typically brought on by an abundance of rain and inadequate infrastructure.
In 2012, there were around 360 deaths and over 2.1 million displaced people.
The biggest floods in ten years occurred in 2022, resulting in 1.4 million people being relocated and over 500 deaths.
In a statement released on Wednesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that warnings would be issued by the government to lessen the effects of environmental accidents.
According to Manzo, emergency managers have prepared strategies to prevent a repetition.
“We don’t have time to waste any longer so people will not be caught unaware,” he stated to AFP.
