Abuja: At least 150 people have been confirmed dead and many others remain unaccounted for following severe flooding in Niger State, Nigeria, according to emergency officials.
The updated death toll marks a significant increase from the 21 fatalities reported on Thursday, said Ibrahim Hussaini, Director of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA). He noted that the floods have submerged roughly 3,000 homes across two communities in the north-central region.
The flooding began late Wednesday night and continued into the early hours of Thursday, leaving residents stranded and rescue teams racing against time. Some individuals are still trapped in water-logged areas.
Flooding is a recurring challenge in Nigeria, particularly during the rainy season which starts in April. In 2022, the country witnessed its most devastating floods in over a decade—claiming more than 600 lives, displacing around 1.4 million people, and ruining vast swaths of farmland.
Authorities are continuing search-and-rescue efforts while assessing the extent of damage in affected communities.
