Mokwa, Nigeria – The death toll from a devastating flood in Niger State has risen to over 100, according to the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Yakubu Garba. The floods, triggered by a torrential downpour on Wednesday night, particularly affected the Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa areas of Mokwa town.
Deputy Governor Garba visited the affected community on Friday to assess the damage and provide support to victims. He confirmed the updated casualty figure to journalists, stating that over 100 bodies had been recovered and that search and rescue operations were still ongoing. Initially, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had reported 21 fatalities.
The Deputy Governor, who was acting on directives from Governor Umaru Bago, addressed displaced residents at an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. He urged patience, assuring them that the state government was arranging relief materials. He noted that relief items from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had already been handed over to the local council chairman for distribution.
Mr. Garba also cautioned residents against building structures on waterways, emphasizing the need to respect natural water pathways to prevent future disasters.
Mrs. Zubaida Umar, the Director-General of NEMA, stated that agency officials were on the ground coordinating search and rescue efforts. She confirmed that NEMA had provided food and non-food items, including rice, blankets, and mats, to support the victims, working in collaboration with the Red Cross and the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).
One of the victims, Anas Usman, told NAN that 17 members of his household perished in the disaster, describing how their house was suddenly submerged and collapsed following the heavy rain.
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