Hundreds killed in Nigeria floods, more than 1.4 million displaced
As Nigeria’s floodwaters surged across the country, taking in towns and villages, hundreds were killed in the floods, as the authorities failed to heed warnings on the likelihood of flooding and poor roads becoming clogged with vehicles, according to the country’s police commissioner.
Reports of deaths, including the deaths of six children, are coming in from Rivers and Bauchi, northern Nigeria.
The chairman of the Rivers, Bauchi and Kaduna state assembly, Abdulaziz Adamu, says the state government has deployed a total of 500 personnel to the affected areas to rescue people.
In a video message, Mr Adamu says: “The whole state of Rivers, Bauchi and Kaduna has been affected. We have received reports that many people have died and many have been injured, many are missing and some are believed to have been buried under the flood waters.
“We’ve been receiving reports that several people who have died were buried under the flood waters and that some are still trapped under the flood waters. We have also received reports that people have died and are buried under the flood waters.
“Unfortunately, as more people are missing, we have also received reports that some of those people have been buried under the flood waters.”
Mr Adamu says the situation is still critical, and a number of relief supplies will soon reach the affected areas.
The Nigerian Red Cross says there is now little point in trying to deliver relief supplies through the roads to the affected areas, because of the rising waters, and that they will have to deliver relief supplies by air.
In a statement, the group said: “The government has committed to provide immediate relief supplies and we are ready to do this immediately if required. However, we recommend that the government expedite their delivery by air as that is the most effective and efficient method of delivery.”