Agency says 108 Nigerians have been killed by flood in 50 LGAs

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has disclosed that a total of 108 people have been killed due to flood incidents in 50 local government areas across the country.

Several states have been hit with flood incidents in the past few weeks as heavy seasonal rains have caused the Niger and Benue rivers to burst their banks and flood communities. NEMA recently declared a national disaster in Niger, Kogi, Anambra and Delta with eight other states kept on the agency's watchlist.

In a situation report released by NEMA's spokesperson, Sanni Datti, on Monday, September 24, 2018, he revealed that a total of 441,251 people were affected by flooding that has left 141,369 people internally displaced.

Datti also disclosed that the flood has destroyed about 13,031 houses, leaving 198 people injured, while 122,653 hectares of agricultural land have also been damaged.

Kogi has the highest number of people affected with 118,199 victims, followed by Kebbi (94,991), Anambra (64,331), Niger (51,719), Kwara (41,680), Delta (37,017), Edo (31,113), and Benue (2,201)

Datti disclosed that the number of people affected by the flood is expected to rise further as assessments are still ongoing in some states, including Rivers and Bayelsa, which are believed to be amongst the worst hit.

"As water levels have continued to rise in Rivers and Bayelsa states, some communities have been submerged under water. To avert the loss of lives and injuries, NEMA, in collaboration with the military, has started immediate evacuation of families that are still trapped in their homes.

"The affected families are being relocated to nearby camps and there is an urgent need for assistance in terms of food and non-food items," he said.

The report noted that a total sum of N12.13 billion is required to provide relief materials to all the victims of the flood, reporting that only N3 billion is currently available.

Over the past week, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has paid condolence visits to Niger, Anambra, Delta and Kogi to assure victims that the Federal Government is committed to helping them get back on their feet.