Flood disaster in Nigeria: over 100 deaths through devastating rains!

Flood disaster in Nigeria: over 100 deaths through devastating rains!

Mokwa, Nigeria - Heavy rains and the break of a dam have led to devastating floods in Nigeria. It is estimated that at least 111 to 117 people lost their lives, while the authorities warn that this number may still increase. In the city of Mokwa, the rescue operations are still underway because thousands of houses were destroyed by the floods. This catastrophe, which was triggered on Thursday, is part of a major problem: in West Africa there have been extreme weather events in the past few months, which forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee from their houses. The emergency aid authority Nema confirms that more than 200,000 residents are affected in the regional capital Maiduguri.

The severity of the situation is also reinforced by the outbreak of the Alau dam, which is near Maiduguri. This dam break has still tightened the tidal wave and contributes to the already dramatic conditions in the affected state of Borno. The animal welfare organization reports that around 80 percent of the animals died in the floods in the Zoo Sanda Kyarimi Park and many wild animals, including crocodiles and snakes, were flushed into urban areas.

growing humanitarian crisis

The floods have also led to over 900 people in the entire region have already been killed. Over 300,000 buildings were damaged and the world nutrition program estimates that around 2.9 million people in 12 West and Central African countries are affected by the floods. In Nigeria in particular, the UN World Food program reports that around 600,000 people are among those affected. The situation was dramatically intensified this year compared to 2023, with more than four million affected people in the region - a triple increase.

Aid organizations warn that these floods could also delay the start of school in several regions, since school buildings are converted into emergency shelters. In this context, the United Nations and NGOs have pointed out the urgent need to provide humanitarian aid to help people affected. USAID already provided more than $ 3 million in help to support the victims of the disaster.

long -term effects and outlook

The situation in West Africa is not only shaped by the current disasters. The UN World weather organization predicts that extreme weather events will continue to increase in many regions of Africa. The reports on extreme rains and floods show that climate change continues to play a central role in the tightening of humanitarian crises. The cost of adapting to such extremists in the region south of the Sahara could increase up to $ 50 billion a year.

Overall, the current events in West Africa are not isolated, but part of a larger crisis that is caused by climatic changes, conflicts and displacement. The international community faces the challenge of not only providing immediate help, but also finding long -term solutions to help the affected regions adapt to the growing threats.