Unrelenting floods in Nigeria; 1.4 Million homeless and 500 dead

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#Nigeria, October 13, 2022 – Seventy-six people drowned on Friday after their boat flipped as they tried to escape floodwaters in Nigeria.  Like Pakistan, Nigeria has been pounded by an overactive Monsoon season this year.

The boat was traveling through Anambra, one of the worst affected states which also includes Kogi, Lokoja , when it overturned.   Aerial response has been triggered and helicopters are out looking for other trapped residents according to The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).  More than 1.4 million people have been displaced and just over 500 have been killed.

NEMA representative Thickman Tanimu, told NEWS Agency of Nigeria, “Assessment teams observed that the flood has submerged houses, farmlands, schools, health centres, Police Stations, Churches and other critical infrastructure— we did the assessment tour with a boat because the access roads to the communities have been submerged by flood water” He said.

The floodwaters have brought down buildings crushing families and sweeping away others. Nigeria’s monsoon season is set to end in October hopefully bringing an end to the rain.