Mokwa, Nigeria – A catastrophic flood has struck Mokwa, a town in central Niger State, Nigeria, claiming over 200 lives and leaving approximately 500 people unaccounted for, local officials confirmed. Described as the worst flooding in the region in six decades, the disaster swept through the districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa following relentless torrential rains on Thursday.
Rescue operations have been halted, with authorities stating that the likelihood of finding survivors is now minimal, according to Musa Kimboku, a local official. The floods have left a trail of destruction, submerging homes, washing away families, and devastating livelihoods. To prevent the spread of disease, Mokwa’s district head, Muhammadu Aliyu, announced that authorities will soon begin exhuming bodies buried under debris.
Residents shared harrowing accounts of loss. Adamu Yusuf, a survivor, recounted the tragic moment he lost his wife and newborn baby to the floodwaters. “I watched helplessly as water washed away my family. I survived because I could swim,” he told the BBC. Another resident, Saliu Sulaiman, lost his home and approximately $1,500 in business proceeds from his farm produce. “The pressure of the water scared me,” he said, recalling his decision not to risk retrieving the money.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that the floods damaged critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, disrupting local commerce and transportation. On Sunday, NEMA announced the distribution of relief packages to support affected residents. The Nigerian Red Cross also issued a statement on Friday, highlighting the “significant loss of life and widespread distress” caused by the disaster. While some locals attribute the severity of the flooding to a burst dam, authorities have yet to confirm this claim.
Flooding is a recurring challenge during Nigeria’s rainy season, which spans April to October. In 2024, heavy rains triggered floods that caused fatalities and displaced communities across the country. The 2022 floods were particularly deadly, claiming over 600 lives and displacing 1.3 million people.
As Mokwa grapples with this tragedy, relief efforts are underway, but the scale of the devastation underscores the urgent need for improved flood preparedness and infrastructure resilience in Nigeria.
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