The death toll from devastating floods triggered by heavy rainfall in Nigeria’s north-central Niger State last week has risen to about 200, the government said Tuesday.
A statement by the state government quoted Yakubu Garba, the deputy governor of Niger, as saying more bodies had been recovered in the Mokwa area where the disaster occurred.
“The dead that have been seen are close to 200 now,” Garba said while receiving sympathizers in his office on Monday. “The displaced persons are more than 3,000.”
About 1,000 are yet to be accounted for, he said, noting that some roads were washed away and bridges collapsed.
Last Wednesday night, heavy downpours wreaked havoc across Mokwa, submerging and sweeping away residential homes, some with occupants still inside, local authorities said earlier.
Ibrahim Hussaini, spokesperson for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, told Xinhua over the weekend that over 503 households were affected by the disaster, adding the search for more bodies continued, with local divers and volunteers assisting with the rescue operation.
The National Emergency Management Agency said Tuesday that it had intensified efforts to mitigate the impact of seasonal flooding nationwide, urging all levels of government to invest in drainage systems, dams, and flood-resilient infrastructure in riverine areas. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
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