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Nigeria: Nearly 200 dead in floods, govt says about 30 of 33 states affected
Severe flooding in Nigeria's Niger State has displaced nearly 2,000 people and killed close to 200, according to the country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) read more
Damaged buildings following floods in Mokwa, Niger State, on June 1. AFP File
Severe flooding in Nigeria's Niger State has displaced nearly 2,000 people and killed close to 200, according to a Bloomberg report, citing the country's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel said on the disaster, which began in late May in the town of Mokwa, has affected more than 3,000 residents and left 98 missing.
Mokwa, a key agricultural and transport hub in central Nigeria, has seen extensive damage to farmland, homes, roads, and bridges.
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The flooding has disrupted trade routes linking southern Nigeria to northern food-producing regions, further threatening the country's already fragile food supply chain.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) described Mokwa as playing a 'strategic role in regional commerce and transportation,' warning that the flooding could intensify economic disruption across the region.
Meteorologists forecast that the flooding could worsen in the coming months, with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency warning that 30 of Nigeria's 36 states are at risk this year.
Heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected this week in major northern agricultural states, including Taraba, Kaduna, and Gombe.
The floods come amid ongoing insecurity in northern Nigeria, where frequent bandit attacks have already displaced farmers and disrupted food production. Combined with last year's floods that wiped out thousands of acres of farmland, this year's disaster threatens to deepen the country's food crisis.
The United Nations estimates that 33 million Nigerians could face food insecurity in 2025, a figure that may rise as climate-related disasters and conflict continue to plague key agricultural zones.
With inputs from agencies
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