Severe flooding in northeastern Nigeria has claimed the lives of at least 49 people and displaced over 41,000, according to the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA).
The floods, triggered by heavy rains, have devastated the states of Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba, with large swaths of farmland destroyed and thousands of residents forced to flee their homes.
Manzo Ezekiel, a NEMA spokesperson, confirmed the tragic toll on Monday, noting that 41,344 people have been displaced as a result of the flooding. He warned that the situation could worsen as Nigeria enters the peak of its rainy season, particularly in the northern regions.
“We are just entering into the peak of the season, particularly in the northern part of the country, and the situation is very dire,” Ezekiel said in an interview with Reuters.
The current disaster comes on the heels of the catastrophic floods of 2022, which were the worst Nigeria had seen in over a decade. That year, more than 600 people lost their lives, around 1.4 million were displaced, and 440,000 hectares of farmland were destroyed.
This year’s flooding, while still unfolding, has already had a devastating impact on agriculture, with approximately 693 hectares of farmland ruined. The destruction of crops is expected to exacerbate Nigeria’s ongoing battle with double-digit inflation, driven in part by soaring food prices.
The floods are not just a natural disaster but also a blow to an already struggling farming sector in the northeast, where many farmers have abandoned their lands due to frequent militant attacks. The combination of violence and flooding is creating a perfect storm for the region’s agricultural economy.
NEMA had previously warned of the potential for major floods across the country. In a flood outlook released earlier this year, the government identified 31 of Nigeria’s 36 states as being at high risk for flooding.
Ezekiel noted that the agency’s predictions were coming to pass, particularly with rising water levels in the upper reaches of the River Niger, which flows into Nigeria.
“We also have information about the high tide in the upper countries of the River Niger before Nigeria. All of these are flowing towards Nigeria. We are beginning to see a manifestation of our predictions,” Ezekiel stated.
Efforts to mitigate the impact of flooding have been ongoing. In July, NEMA held a workshop in Port Harcourt focused on flood early warning strategies. During the event, Godwin Tepikor, NEMA’s Director in charge of Risk Reduction, called for support from local government authorities to help mitigate the flood’s effects. He emphasized the need for preparedness, particularly in high-risk areas.
Babatunde Adebiyi, NEMA’s Zonal Director, highlighted that 13 local government areas in Rivers State had been identified as high-risk zones. The agency is actively working with these communities to prepare for the floods. Some of the most vulnerable areas include Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Degema, and Ahoada East and West.
In Zamfara State, NEMA’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, disclosed that eight local government areas, including Bugundu, Gummi, Gusau, and others, are expected to experience moderate flooding during the 2024 rainy season.
The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has also weighed in, predicting that 31 states with 148 local government areas fall within high flood risk zones for 2024. An additional 35 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 249 LGAs, are considered to be at moderate risk, while the remaining 377 LGAs are forecasted to have a lower risk of flooding.
As Nigeria grapples with these devastating floods, the focus remains on emergency response and long-term preparedness to prevent further loss of life and property in the coming months.