More than 600 people have died since June in the deadliest floods to hit Nigeria in a decade, triggered by record rains that forced 1.3 million people from their homes.
Since the start of the rainy season, many parts of Africa’s most populous country have been devastated by floods, raising fears of worsening food insecurity and inflation.
“Unfortunately, more than 603 lives have been lost” – 100 deaths more than last week – and 2,400 people were injured due to the floods, according to a new report by the authorities, released on Sunday.
The death toll has risen “astronomically” as many Nigerian states have not adequately prepared for the heavy rains, the Nigerian Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said on Twitter.
The latest report from the authorities, released last week, records 500 deaths.
More than 82,000 homes and 110,000 hectares of farmland were also completely destroyed, the ministry added.
The rainy season usually begins in June, but flooding has been especially deadly since August, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
Last week, 76 people died in a boat accident in the state of Anambra (southeast), in a shipwreck caused by the rise in the level of the Niger River.
Heavy rains are expected again in Nigeria in the coming weeks.
Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq called for the evacuation of people living along rivers facing high risk of flooding, especially in Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Rivers states.
In 2012, floods left 363 dead and 2.1 million displaced in Nigeria.
Sub-Saharan Africa has been particularly affected by climate change, as well as the repercussions of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In Nigeria, with around 215 million households, rice farmers have warned that this year’s floods could lead to higher prices as the country bans rice imports to boost local production.
According to a joint report released in September by the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Nigeria is one of six countries facing the highest risk of extreme hunger.
Source: TSF
