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First Post
a day ago
- Business
- First Post
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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 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
Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
More than 700 believed dead in devastating Nigeria floods
MOKWA — The official death toll after deadly floods hit the Nigerian town of Mokwa on Thursday has risen to more than 200, officials say. Another 500 people are still missing in the town in the central Niger State however, local official Musa Kimboku told the BBC that rescue efforts had ceased because authorities no longer believe anyone could still be found alive. The floods, said to be the worst in the area for 60 years, swept through the Mokwa districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa after torrential rains. In an effort to prevent disease in the area, authorities will soon start to dig out corpses buried underground, Mokwa's district head Muhammadu Aliyu said. Recounting scenes of catastrophe, local residents told the BBC that they saw their homes and family members get washed away. One man, Adamu Yusuf, lost his wife and newborn baby. "I watched helplessly as water washed away my family. I survived because I could swim," he told the BBC. Another resident, Saliu Sulaiman, said the floods had left him homeless and destroyed some of his cash business profits. "I lost at least $1,500 to the floods. It was the proceeds from the sale of my farm produce the previous day. I contemplated going back into the room to get it, but the pressure of the water scared me." Some local residents have said that the flooding was so devastating because a nearby dam had burst, however the authorities have not confirmed this. Residents said the pressure of the floodwater was so intense that bodies had been washed up in the town of Rabba, at least an hour's drive from Mokwa. Mokwa's Deputy Vice-Chairman Musa Kimboku said they had told neighbouring villages to bury "any corpse that they find." District head Aliyu said some bodies were unrecoverable because they had gone "through the River Niger". On Sunday, the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) announced it had started the process of providing relief packages to people affected. The agency added in a post on Facebook that roads and bridges were also affected by the flood, which has had a knock-on effect on the local economy and traffic. The Nigerian Red Cross also released a statement on Friday saying the floods had caused "significant loss of life and widespread distress". Floods are not uncommon during the Nigerian rainy season, which lasts from April until October. In 2024, Nigeria experienced flooding from heavy rain which caused deaths and drove people from their homes. There was also severe flooding in 2022, when more than 600 people died and 1.3 million were displaced. — BBC
eNCA
3 days ago
- Climate
- eNCA
As toll rises, Nigeria flood victims recall worst disaster in memory
ABUJA - Adamu Yusuf was preparing to go to the Mokwa market Thursday morning when he heard his neighbour shouting: floodwaters were sweeping through the Nigerian town. Water had been building up for days behind an abandoned railway track that runs along the edge of the town, residents told AFP. It was not the first time heavy rains had accumulated behind the mud mounds on which the tracks stand, but it would soon be the deadliest. The floods that hit Mokwa, in north-central Nigeria's Niger state, are the worst in living memory, with the death toll topping 150 and continuing to climb and hundreds feared missing. Climate change has made weather swings in Nigeria more extreme, but it became clear that other human factors were also at play. Floodwaters would usually pass through a couple of culverts in the mounds and run into a narrow channel. But this time, debris had blocked the culverts, forcing water to build up behind the clay walls that eventually gave way. The resulting flood swept through the community, flattening it within hours on Thursday morning. Volunteers and disaster response teams have been fanning out in the days since, sometimes recovering bodies nearly 10 kilometres (six miles) away after people were swept into the powerful Niger River. Yusuf struggled to save his family, before being knocked unconscious by the floodwaters. When he woke up in hospital, he was told his wife, son, mother and other relatives -- nine in total -- had been swept away. Only one body has been recovered. "I don't know who rescued me," Yusuf, 36, told AFP. He stood where his house used to be as residents, including children as young as 10, dug through debris in search of bodies. AFP | Tonye BAKARE A powerful stench filled the air, which residents said came from decaying corpses trapped under the rubble. Carcasses and puddles littered the area, and a huge gully now sits in the centre of the community. The only excavator working nearby was focused on piling boulders to reinforce a small bridge on the edge of the community that had been destroyed by the flood. "I have never seen anything like this in my 42 years of existence," said Adamu Usama, a civil engineer who said he lost 10 in-laws to the flood. His house was barely spared. "We saw the water carrying people but we cannot save (them), because we don't know how to swim." - Left in limbo - Days before the disaster struck Mokwa, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria's 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday. Floods in Nigeria are exacerbated by inadequate drainage, the construction of homes on waterways and the dumping of waste in drains and water channels. In 2024, floods killed 321 people across 34 of Nigeria's 36 states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The Mokwa floods threaten to top that. AFP | Tonye BAKARE The Niger state emergency management agency said 153 people were killed in Mokwa as of Sunday, all of whom have been buried. But residents and traditional rulers insist the number is far higher. "Anybody that tells you this is the number of people that died is just guessing," one resident, Saliu Adamu told AFP. Although President Bola Tinubu said the disaster response was being aided by security forces, only a handful of soldiers and police were at the scene Sunday afternoon, mostly to ease traffic that had built up because of the damaged bridge. The state governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, is in Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage. Residents said his deputy, Yakubu Garba, had visited. Many people who lost their loved ones and property are still waiting for assistance.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Who's responsible for small businesses surviving disasters?
My heart breaks for the communities currently devastated by floods across NSW. But it aches even more for the small-business owners and farmers trying to stay afloat - again. In disaster after disaster, they are among the first to be affected and the last to recover. While saving lives is always the top priority, we need to talk seriously about livelihoods. A lost business or farm isn't just an economic loss, it's a personal tragedy, a collapse of purpose and, in some cases, a precursor to additional loss of life. Without livelihoods, communities struggle to recover. The 2011 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience introduced the concept of "shared responsibility" in Australia's approach to emergencies. But what does that mean in practice when it comes to small businesses and farms? And have we progressed any further since 2011? Let's be honest: the primary responsibility for continuity lies with the business or farm owner. But the reality is, most small-business owners aren't risk analysts or continuity planners. A pub owner in a regional town is likely managing shifts and stock, not developing a flood risk management plan. MORE OPINION: A farmer running a multi-generational cattle property may be juggling drought, debt, and livestock, not drafting an evacuation or recovery blueprint. A hairdresser in a small coastal town is thinking about customers and payroll, not business impact assessments. So, whose job is it to ensure these vital parts of our community survive and bounce forward after disasters? The answer should be: all of us. Small businesses and farms are the social and economic backbone of Australia's regions. According to Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson, they employ nearly half the private sector workforce. Yet the average small business operator earns below minimum wage. They're investing everything - often including their family homes - to keep going. It's unconscionable that these stakeholders remain a blind spot in national disaster policy and practice. Will the newly appointed Minister for Small Business, Cowan MP Dr Anne Aly, prioritises disaster resilience for this sector? Or does the responsibility fall to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the body charged with driving national resilience? Perhaps it's both. And what about the state governments, who are closer to the ground? In this complex landscape, the NSW Reconstruction Authority offers a compelling example of what "good" looks like. Their collaboration with certified social enterprise Resilient Ready in the Business Beyond Disasters Northern Rivers program demonstrates how small business resilience expertise can be effectively deployed through targeted government investment. This kind of partnership is exactly what's needed - programs developed by people who understand the real challenges small operators face and can meet them where they are. But timing is critical. We keep talking about the need for a window between disasters to work on preparedness. That window no longer exists. In our new reality of compounding and cascading disasters, we must prepare as we recover. Resilience isn't a nice-to-have anymore, it's an operational necessity. We must do disasters differently. That means embedding resilience thinking into every layer of recovery funding and programming. It means funding practical, place-based support for small businesses that focuses not only on rebuilding but rethinking how to reduce risk. It also means creating space for peer-to-peer learning, local storytelling and connection because resilience grows through relationships. Responsibility is not just on the business owner or farmer. Work delivered with the Torrens Resilience Initiative for the South Australian grape and wine sector last year very clearly showed there's much more to be done. The government must better understand how and why small businesses and farmers are key to community resilience. The Productivity Commission's 2023 report into natural disaster funding called for a rebalancing toward mitigation and risk reduction, not just response and recovery. That rebalancing must include tailored support for small businesses and farmers. Let's stop pretending these operators should fend for themselves. Let's recognise that their survival is not only their responsibility but a shared national priority. Because when small businesses and farms fall, whole communities fall with them. We must enable them to connect, survive and thrive, not just endure. That's not only a smart investment in Australia's economic future, it's the right thing to do. My heart breaks for the communities currently devastated by floods across NSW. But it aches even more for the small-business owners and farmers trying to stay afloat - again. In disaster after disaster, they are among the first to be affected and the last to recover. While saving lives is always the top priority, we need to talk seriously about livelihoods. A lost business or farm isn't just an economic loss, it's a personal tragedy, a collapse of purpose and, in some cases, a precursor to additional loss of life. Without livelihoods, communities struggle to recover. The 2011 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience introduced the concept of "shared responsibility" in Australia's approach to emergencies. But what does that mean in practice when it comes to small businesses and farms? And have we progressed any further since 2011? Let's be honest: the primary responsibility for continuity lies with the business or farm owner. But the reality is, most small-business owners aren't risk analysts or continuity planners. A pub owner in a regional town is likely managing shifts and stock, not developing a flood risk management plan. MORE OPINION: A farmer running a multi-generational cattle property may be juggling drought, debt, and livestock, not drafting an evacuation or recovery blueprint. A hairdresser in a small coastal town is thinking about customers and payroll, not business impact assessments. So, whose job is it to ensure these vital parts of our community survive and bounce forward after disasters? The answer should be: all of us. Small businesses and farms are the social and economic backbone of Australia's regions. According to Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson, they employ nearly half the private sector workforce. Yet the average small business operator earns below minimum wage. They're investing everything - often including their family homes - to keep going. It's unconscionable that these stakeholders remain a blind spot in national disaster policy and practice. Will the newly appointed Minister for Small Business, Cowan MP Dr Anne Aly, prioritises disaster resilience for this sector? Or does the responsibility fall to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the body charged with driving national resilience? Perhaps it's both. And what about the state governments, who are closer to the ground? In this complex landscape, the NSW Reconstruction Authority offers a compelling example of what "good" looks like. Their collaboration with certified social enterprise Resilient Ready in the Business Beyond Disasters Northern Rivers program demonstrates how small business resilience expertise can be effectively deployed through targeted government investment. This kind of partnership is exactly what's needed - programs developed by people who understand the real challenges small operators face and can meet them where they are. But timing is critical. We keep talking about the need for a window between disasters to work on preparedness. That window no longer exists. In our new reality of compounding and cascading disasters, we must prepare as we recover. Resilience isn't a nice-to-have anymore, it's an operational necessity. We must do disasters differently. That means embedding resilience thinking into every layer of recovery funding and programming. It means funding practical, place-based support for small businesses that focuses not only on rebuilding but rethinking how to reduce risk. It also means creating space for peer-to-peer learning, local storytelling and connection because resilience grows through relationships. Responsibility is not just on the business owner or farmer. Work delivered with the Torrens Resilience Initiative for the South Australian grape and wine sector last year very clearly showed there's much more to be done. The government must better understand how and why small businesses and farmers are key to community resilience. The Productivity Commission's 2023 report into natural disaster funding called for a rebalancing toward mitigation and risk reduction, not just response and recovery. That rebalancing must include tailored support for small businesses and farmers. Let's stop pretending these operators should fend for themselves. Let's recognise that their survival is not only their responsibility but a shared national priority. Because when small businesses and farms fall, whole communities fall with them. We must enable them to connect, survive and thrive, not just endure. That's not only a smart investment in Australia's economic future, it's the right thing to do. My heart breaks for the communities currently devastated by floods across NSW. But it aches even more for the small-business owners and farmers trying to stay afloat - again. In disaster after disaster, they are among the first to be affected and the last to recover. While saving lives is always the top priority, we need to talk seriously about livelihoods. A lost business or farm isn't just an economic loss, it's a personal tragedy, a collapse of purpose and, in some cases, a precursor to additional loss of life. Without livelihoods, communities struggle to recover. The 2011 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience introduced the concept of "shared responsibility" in Australia's approach to emergencies. But what does that mean in practice when it comes to small businesses and farms? And have we progressed any further since 2011? Let's be honest: the primary responsibility for continuity lies with the business or farm owner. But the reality is, most small-business owners aren't risk analysts or continuity planners. A pub owner in a regional town is likely managing shifts and stock, not developing a flood risk management plan. MORE OPINION: A farmer running a multi-generational cattle property may be juggling drought, debt, and livestock, not drafting an evacuation or recovery blueprint. A hairdresser in a small coastal town is thinking about customers and payroll, not business impact assessments. So, whose job is it to ensure these vital parts of our community survive and bounce forward after disasters? The answer should be: all of us. Small businesses and farms are the social and economic backbone of Australia's regions. According to Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson, they employ nearly half the private sector workforce. Yet the average small business operator earns below minimum wage. They're investing everything - often including their family homes - to keep going. It's unconscionable that these stakeholders remain a blind spot in national disaster policy and practice. Will the newly appointed Minister for Small Business, Cowan MP Dr Anne Aly, prioritises disaster resilience for this sector? Or does the responsibility fall to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the body charged with driving national resilience? Perhaps it's both. And what about the state governments, who are closer to the ground? In this complex landscape, the NSW Reconstruction Authority offers a compelling example of what "good" looks like. Their collaboration with certified social enterprise Resilient Ready in the Business Beyond Disasters Northern Rivers program demonstrates how small business resilience expertise can be effectively deployed through targeted government investment. This kind of partnership is exactly what's needed - programs developed by people who understand the real challenges small operators face and can meet them where they are. But timing is critical. We keep talking about the need for a window between disasters to work on preparedness. That window no longer exists. In our new reality of compounding and cascading disasters, we must prepare as we recover. Resilience isn't a nice-to-have anymore, it's an operational necessity. We must do disasters differently. That means embedding resilience thinking into every layer of recovery funding and programming. It means funding practical, place-based support for small businesses that focuses not only on rebuilding but rethinking how to reduce risk. It also means creating space for peer-to-peer learning, local storytelling and connection because resilience grows through relationships. Responsibility is not just on the business owner or farmer. Work delivered with the Torrens Resilience Initiative for the South Australian grape and wine sector last year very clearly showed there's much more to be done. The government must better understand how and why small businesses and farmers are key to community resilience. The Productivity Commission's 2023 report into natural disaster funding called for a rebalancing toward mitigation and risk reduction, not just response and recovery. That rebalancing must include tailored support for small businesses and farmers. Let's stop pretending these operators should fend for themselves. Let's recognise that their survival is not only their responsibility but a shared national priority. Because when small businesses and farms fall, whole communities fall with them. We must enable them to connect, survive and thrive, not just endure. That's not only a smart investment in Australia's economic future, it's the right thing to do. My heart breaks for the communities currently devastated by floods across NSW. But it aches even more for the small-business owners and farmers trying to stay afloat - again. In disaster after disaster, they are among the first to be affected and the last to recover. While saving lives is always the top priority, we need to talk seriously about livelihoods. A lost business or farm isn't just an economic loss, it's a personal tragedy, a collapse of purpose and, in some cases, a precursor to additional loss of life. Without livelihoods, communities struggle to recover. The 2011 National Strategy for Disaster Resilience introduced the concept of "shared responsibility" in Australia's approach to emergencies. But what does that mean in practice when it comes to small businesses and farms? And have we progressed any further since 2011? Let's be honest: the primary responsibility for continuity lies with the business or farm owner. But the reality is, most small-business owners aren't risk analysts or continuity planners. A pub owner in a regional town is likely managing shifts and stock, not developing a flood risk management plan. MORE OPINION: A farmer running a multi-generational cattle property may be juggling drought, debt, and livestock, not drafting an evacuation or recovery blueprint. A hairdresser in a small coastal town is thinking about customers and payroll, not business impact assessments. So, whose job is it to ensure these vital parts of our community survive and bounce forward after disasters? The answer should be: all of us. Small businesses and farms are the social and economic backbone of Australia's regions. According to Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson, they employ nearly half the private sector workforce. Yet the average small business operator earns below minimum wage. They're investing everything - often including their family homes - to keep going. It's unconscionable that these stakeholders remain a blind spot in national disaster policy and practice. Will the newly appointed Minister for Small Business, Cowan MP Dr Anne Aly, prioritises disaster resilience for this sector? Or does the responsibility fall to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the body charged with driving national resilience? Perhaps it's both. And what about the state governments, who are closer to the ground? In this complex landscape, the NSW Reconstruction Authority offers a compelling example of what "good" looks like. Their collaboration with certified social enterprise Resilient Ready in the Business Beyond Disasters Northern Rivers program demonstrates how small business resilience expertise can be effectively deployed through targeted government investment. This kind of partnership is exactly what's needed - programs developed by people who understand the real challenges small operators face and can meet them where they are. But timing is critical. We keep talking about the need for a window between disasters to work on preparedness. That window no longer exists. In our new reality of compounding and cascading disasters, we must prepare as we recover. Resilience isn't a nice-to-have anymore, it's an operational necessity. We must do disasters differently. That means embedding resilience thinking into every layer of recovery funding and programming. It means funding practical, place-based support for small businesses that focuses not only on rebuilding but rethinking how to reduce risk. It also means creating space for peer-to-peer learning, local storytelling and connection because resilience grows through relationships. Responsibility is not just on the business owner or farmer. Work delivered with the Torrens Resilience Initiative for the South Australian grape and wine sector last year very clearly showed there's much more to be done. The government must better understand how and why small businesses and farmers are key to community resilience. The Productivity Commission's 2023 report into natural disaster funding called for a rebalancing toward mitigation and risk reduction, not just response and recovery. That rebalancing must include tailored support for small businesses and farmers. Let's stop pretending these operators should fend for themselves. Let's recognise that their survival is not only their responsibility but a shared national priority. Because when small businesses and farms fall, whole communities fall with them. We must enable them to connect, survive and thrive, not just endure. That's not only a smart investment in Australia's economic future, it's the right thing to do.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Death toll in Nigeria floods hits more than 200, officials say
The death toll after deadly floods hit the Nigerian town of Mokwa on Thursday has risen to more than 200, officials say. There are still 500 people missing in the town in north-central Niger State, as a search mission continues. The deputy chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Musa Kimboku, told the BBC that rescue efforts have ceased because authorities no longer believe anyone could still be alive. The floods, said to be worst in the area for 60 years, swept through the towns of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa after a bout of torrential rain. In an effort to prevent disease in the area, authorities will soon start to dig out corpses buried underground, Mokwa's district head Muhammadu Aliyu said. Recounting scenes of catastrophe, local residents have told the BBC that they saw their homes and family members get washed away. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) announced it had started the process of providing relief packages to people affected. The agency added in a post on Facebook that roads and bridges were also affected by the flood, which has had a knock-on effect on the local economy and traffic. The Nigerian Red Cross also released a statement on Friday saying the floods had caused "significant loss of life and widespread distress". Floods are not uncommon during the Nigerian rainy season, which lasts from April until October. In 2024, Nigeria experienced flooding from heavy rain which caused deaths and drove people from their homes. There was also severe flooding in 2022, when more than 600 people died and 1.3 million were displaced. Could Nigeria's careful ethnic balancing act be under threat? Blank questions, power cuts and a suicide: Nigeria's exams fiasco 'How I survived Nigeria attack that killed my 16 friends' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
