Flooding has affected several states of Nigeria over the last few days, in some cases worsening a situation that first began in late August this year.
Wide areas of the country’s north east were hit by flooding from late August this year. Central areas of the country were also affected around this time. Heavy rain that began on 17 August, 2019 caused flooding in Bosso and Chanchaga Local Government Areas of Niger State, leaving 3 dead and over 500 displaced.
Continued heavy rain in September increased levels of the Niger and Benue rivers, causing flooding in Cross River, Kogi and Taraba states, as well as Niger State where 11 deaths were reported.
Since then the death toll has increased to 18 in Niger state, according to media reports quoting Niger State Emergency Management Agency sources. The sources also said that almost 42,000 people have been displaced and 2,714 houses have been destroyed due to the disaster.
In Adamawa State, around 40 villages are under water after flooding from the Benue river, according to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Quoting Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, NAN said heavy rain from around 23 October caused the river to break its banks. There was also some speculation that the flooding was linked to the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
Farmland and houses along the Benue river have been destroyed. According to officials, flooding has affected communities in the local government areas of Fufore, Yola South, Demsa, Numan and Girei.
Rainstorms and flooding affected parts of Adamawa State from 01 August, 2019, leaving 7 people dead and dozens of houses damaged in the city of Yola, the Adamawa state capital.
In the south of the country flooding has affected parts of Lagos and Ogun states. Local media reported that 6 people died in floods in Lagos from around 21 October after a release of water from the Oyan Dam in Abeokuta city of the southwestern Ogun state. Houses were damaged and business and schools closed.
