Nigeria – Floods Affect Half a Million as Death Toll Rises

According to Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), nearly half a million people are currently affected by flooding in 8 states of the country. At least 108 people have died in the flooding, with a further 192 injured.

The affected states include Anambra (64,331 people affected), Benue (2,201), Delta (37,017), Edo (31,113), Kebbi (94,991), Kogi (118,199), Kwara (41,680) and Niger (51,719).

Earlier this month NEMA declared a state of emergency for flooding in the four states of Niger, Kogi, Anambra and Delta.

A total of 13,031 houses have been damaged or destroyed. As of 24 September there were 141,369 people displaced by the floods. NEMA says there is an urgent need for food and non-food relief items.

Flooding also affected parts of Rivers and Beyelsa states over the last few days, and teams from NEMA and the military have started evacuating families trapped in their homes, relocating them to nearby relief camps.

As of 24 September, the Niger river at Lokoja had fallen slightly from previous levels and stood at 11.05 metres.

Flood Summary

Last updated: September 25, 2018
Event
Nigeria, August to September 2018
Date
August 27, 2018
Type
Flash flood, River flood
Cause
Extreme rainfall, Long-term rainfall
Heavy rain from around 27 August 2018 caused flooding in Niger, Kano and Nasarawa States, while on 30 August Nigeria's Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) warned communities in Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Anambra, Delta and Bayelsa states that increasingly high river levels could cause major flooding. The Shiroro, Kainji and Jebba dams were already releasing water and levels of the Niger river at Lokoja were equal or higher than those seen in 2012. Flooding affected parts of Jigawa State in early September. Further heavy rain from around 08 September caused flooding in Rikkos community of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, where 200 households were displaced, according to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). On 10 September around 1,000 homes were damaged after heavy rain caused flooding in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State (NAN). On 17 September authorities in Nigeria, quoted by BBC and Reuters, said that over 100 people had died in floods across the country in the last 2 weeks. NIHSA warned of flooding from the Niger and Benue rivers and NEMA declared a state of emergency in Niger, Kogi, Anambra and Delta states. By 24 September NEMA confimred that 108 people had died and flooding had affected almost half a million people.

Locations

A - Mariga, Niger State
B - Mararaba, Nasarawa State
C - Kiru, Kano State
D - Ringim, Jigawa State
E - Rikkos
F - Etsako
G - Lokoja
H - Anambra
I - Benue
J - Delta
K - Kebbi
L - Kwara

Magnitude

River level
8.84 metres
Niger river at Lokoja - August 30 to August 30, 2018
Yellow warning level is 8 metres
River level
11.06 metres
Niger river at Lokoja - September 18 to September 18, 2018
Yellow warning level is 8 metres
Rainfall level
80 mm in 24 hours
Port Harcourt - September 13 to September 14, 2018
WMO figures
Rainfall level
99 mm in 24 hours
Abuja - September 7 to September 8, 2018
Ogimet figures
Rainfall level
92 mm in 24 hours
Lagos / Ikeja - September 6 to September 7, 2018
Rainfall level
61 mm in 24 hours
Lagos/Ikeja - September 23 to September 24, 2018
WMO figures
Rainfall level
11.05 mm in 24 hours
Niger river at Lokoja - September 24 to September 24, 2018

Damages

Fatalities
108 people
August 27 to September 25, 2018
Between 27 August and 06 September, 21 fatalities were reported in the states of Niger (15), Kano (3) and Nasarawa (3). In early September 7 people died in Jigawa State. On 24 September disaster authorities in the country said that 108 people had died since August.
Affected
500,000
August 27 to September 25, 2018
According to NEMA report of 24 September: Anambra (64,331 people affected), Benue (2,201), Delta (37,017), Edo (31,113), Kebbi (94,991), Kogi (118,199), Kwara (41,680) and Niger (51,719).
Evacuated
141,369
August 25 to September 26, 2018