Weeks of flooding leave 155 people dead in Nigeria

At least 155 people have been killed and 25 000 displaced after heavy rains and floods started affecting Nigeria in September.

Torrential rainfall, river, and flash floods since September have cumulatively impacted 192 594 people across 22 Nigerian states, IFRC reported. 155 people have lost their lives, 826 were injured and 24 134 displaced.

The overflowing Benue and Niger rivers caused severe floods in Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, killing 57 people, affecting 91 254 and displacing 22 357.

According to the Red Cross, the floods were a result of heavy rainfall in river catchments along with dam releases in neighboring countries of Niger, Cameroon, and Benin.

Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said the state has experienced its worst flood in 32 years. More than 2 million tons of rice crops have been destroyed -- a quarter of the country's projected harvest.

Officials could not give the exact number of farmlands and houses that were destroyed by the flood but said the damage is unprecedented.

They fear that the situation may worsen the country's food insufficiency and lead to a further price hike.

Featured image credit: NEMA Nigeria