Nearly 100 missing a week after floods tore through Nigerian town
At least 98 people are still missing in addition to 160 confirmed dead a week after floods ripped through a town in central Nigeria, the national emergency agency said on Wednesday, as hopes of finding survivors fade.
Heavy rainfall unleashed waters that destroyed homes and overwhelmed local drainage systems in Mokwa, about 270km west of Abuja, in one of the deadliest floods to hit Africa's most populous country.
Although search and rescue operations continue, damage to roads and bridges was hampering access, said the National Emergency Management Authority (Nema), which has enlisted the help of Nigeria Red Cross, police and army.
"Teams are working to locate missing persons. There is heightened risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding and contaminated water sources," Nema said in a statement.
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