Over 100 casualties in Nigeria due to floods inundating commercial town
In a devastating turn of events, at least 151 lives have been confirmed lost following catastrophic floods that engulfed Mokwa, a bustling market town nestled in Niger State, Nigeria, on Thursday. The unfolding disaster left a trail of displaced individuals and extensive property damage in its wake.
Heavy rainfall pounded the region for several hours on Thursday, exacerbating the situation with a dam collapse in a neighboring town, according to local media citing government officials. As a result, the once-thriving town of Mokwa, approximately 220km west of Abuja, experienced widespread flooding, turning homes into submerged shelters.
Rescuers continued their unrelenting search through the afternoon of Friday, ultimately discovering at least 23 more bodies, raising the death toll to 151, as per the most recent reports provided by the Niger State emergency agency spokesman, IIbrahim Audu Husseini. It is expected that the number may still rise, as ongoing rescue operations have led to the continuous discovery of additional victims.
"More bodies have just been brought and are yet to be counted, but we have at least 151 confirmed already," Husseini told The Associated Press, speaking over the phone.
As a key junction for traders, Mokwa serves as a significant meeting point where merchants from the southern regions procure food from farmers in the northern regions. With the torrential floods crippling businesses and families, the community is now mourning in the aftermath of the disaster.
The root cause of the flood has been identified as severe rainfall that contributed to the flooding across the area. Recent years have seen increased instances of prolonged dry spells worsened by climate change, followed by excessive rainfall during the brief wet season, leading to such catastrophic floods.[1] The flood disaster struck during a predawn downpour, tragically submerging homes and uprooting inhabitants from several communities.[2]
- Despite the ongoing relief efforts, the tragedy in Mokwa, a key trading center, has also disrupted local commerce, affecting merchants who rely on it for food supply between the southern and northern regions.
- As the weather continues to be an unpredictable factor in Niger State, there are concerns about the potential impact of future heavy rainfall on the affected communities still recovering from the recent flood disaster.
