The death toll from flash floods in central Nigeria’s Mokwa has climbed to 36 after rescuers recovered 11 more bodies, an emergency services spokesman told Agence France-Presse (AFP) Friday.
Torrential rains late Wednesday swept away more than 50 homes in Niger state, drowning residents and leaving many missing, the state’s emergency management agency (SEMA) said.
“As of this morning, 11 additional bodies were found on top of the 25 earlier recovered, bringing the total fatalities to 36,” said Ibrahim Audu Husseini, SEMA spokesman. Rescue teams continued searching for missing residents into Friday.
“We expect the toll to rise considerably because there are different rescuers at different locations,” Husseini said.
Nigeria’s rainy season, which usually lasts six months, is just getting started this year. Scientists warn that climate change is already fueling more extreme weather patterns.
Flooding, usually caused by heavy rains and poor infrastructure, wreaks havoc every year, killing hundreds across the West African country.
In Nigeria, floods are exacerbated by inadequate drainage, construction of homes on waterways, and dumping of waste in drains and water channels.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria’s 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday.
In 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in at least 31 of Nigeria’s 36 states, making it one of the country’s worst floods in decades, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
