Further flooding has affected parts of Nigeria since late September, 2019, according to a recent Red Cross report.
The International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies said in a report of 07 October, that “Arising from high-water levels in rivers Niger and Benue and heavy rainfall, Cross River, Kogi, Niger, and Taraba States have experienced flooding from 21 to 27th September 2019.”
Some of the worst of the flooding came on 21 and 22 when there was a high peak in the water levels for River Niger and Benue. The Niger River at Lokoja, Kogi State, reached 10.5 metres, well above red alert stage of 9 metres.
Overall the flooding affected around 18,640 people (3,104 households) in 54 communities while some 4,485 people (746 households) are currently displaced due to the flood waters (2,300 in Taraba, 1,129 in Niger state and 1,056 in Cross River.)
At least 12 deaths have been reported, with 11 of them in Niger state and 1 in Cross River state.
Eastern and central areas of the country were hit by floods in August this year.
Later that month flooding hit several northeastern states, worsening by early September.
The Red Cross says that “since June 2019, torrential rainfalls and flash floods have hit 124 Local Government Areas within 36 states and Federal Capital Territory – Abuja (FCT) in Nigeria. This has affected a total number of 210,117 people with 171 casualties recorded in hospital and 130,610 people reported to be displaced.”
