At least 151 people have been killed after heavy rains caused heavy flooding in Mokwa, a market town in northern Nigeria.
Ibrahim Audu Husseini, a spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Agency, said more than 3,000 people have been evacuated in the disaster in a town located more than 180 miles west of Nigerian capital Abuja.
The floods caused by heavy rain affected at least 500 households in three communities early Friday.
Husseni pointed out that the severe flood caused many homes to submerge, leaving only the roof visible above the water, and residents were walking through the deep water.
Nigerian President Bora Tinubu said he has directed the revitalization of the National Emergency Response Centre to help the nation quickly.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing and all relevant federal agencies are mobilised to support the efforts of the state government,” Tinubu said in a late-night message.
“Relief materials and temporary shelter support are being deployed without delay. We guarantee that Nigerians who have been affected by this disaster are not left or unprecedented.”
Residents were mourning the deaths on Saturday, so much anticipated news from their loved ones has yet to be explained. They also lamented the destruction caused in the town. This is the main encounter where traders from the south buy beans, onions and other foods from farmers in the north.
“We lost a lot of our lives and property, our produce. Those who have their reservoirs lost it,” said resident Kazeem Muhammed.
Nigeria is prone to flooding during the rainy season that began in April.
In 2022, Nigeria experienced the worst flood wave in over a decade, killing over 600 people, ousting around 1.4 million people, and destroying 440,000 hectares of farmland.
The flood incident in Niger occurred on Wednesday night and continued until Thursday morning, Husseini said many people were still in the water.
