Latest news with #NigerianMeteorologicalAgency
eNCA
4 hours 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Death toll in central Nigeria flooding rises to 115
Flash floods that ripped through parts of central Nigeria have killed at least 115 people, an emergency services official said on Friday, with the toll expected to rise further. Teams of rescuers continued to search for missing residents after torrential rains late on Wednesday washed away and submerged dozens of homes in and around the city of Mokwa, in Niger state. "We have so far recovered 115 bodies and more are expected to be recovered because the flood came from far distance and washed people into the River Niger," Ibrahim Audu Husseini, a spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency told AFP. "Downstream, bodies are still being recovered. So, the toll keeps rising," he added. He said many were still missing, citing a family of 12 where only four members have been accounted for. "Some bodies were recovered from the debris of collapsed homes," he said, adding that his teams would need excavators to retrieve corpses from under the rubble. Earlier on Friday, an official coordinating the search and rescue operation, Hussaini Isah, had given a provisional toll of 88. An AFP journalist saw emergency services conducting search and rescue operations as residents searched through the rubble of collapsed buildings as flood waters flowed alongside. - 'We lost everything' - Displaced children played in the flood waters, heightening the possibility of exposure to water-borne diseases as at least two bodies lay covered in printed cloth and banana leaves. An emotional woman in a maroon headscarf sat with tears dripping down her face. Mohammed Tanko, 29, a civil servant, pointed to a house he grew up in, telling reporters "we lost at least 15 from this house. The property (is) gone. We lost everything". Fisherman Danjuma Shaba, 35, said he slept rough in a car park. "I don't have a house to sleep in. My house has already collapsed," said Shaba. Nigeria's rainy season, which usually lasts six months, is just getting started for the year. Flooding, usually caused by heavy rains and poor infrastructure, wreaks havoc every year, killing hundreds of people across the west African country. Scientists have also warned that climate change is already fuelling more extreme weather patterns. In Nigeria, the floods are exacerbated by inadequate drainage, the construction of homes on waterways and the dumping of waste in drains and water channels. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria's 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday. In 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in at least 31 out of Nigeria's 36 states, making it one of the country's worst floods in decades, according to the National Emergency Management Agency. str-abu-sn/djt
France 24
3 days ago
- Climate
- France 24
Death toll in central Nigeria flooding rises to 115
Teams of rescuers continued to search for missing residents after torrential rains late on Wednesday washed away and submerged dozens of homes in and around the city of Mokwa, in Niger state. "We have so far recovered 115 bodies and more are expected to be recovered because the flood came from far distance and washed people into the River Niger," Ibrahim Audu Husseini, a spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency told AFP. "Downstream, bodies are still being recovered. So, the toll keeps rising," he added. He said many were still missing, citing a family of 12 where only four members have been accounted for. "Some bodies were recovered from the debris of collapsed homes," he said, adding that his teams would need excavators to retrieve corpses from under the rubble. Earlier on Friday, an official coordinating the search and rescue operation, Hussaini Isah, had given a provisional toll of 88. An AFP journalist saw emergency services conducting search and rescue operations as residents searched through the rubble of collapsed buildings as flood waters flowed alongside. 'We lost everything' Displaced children played in the flood waters, heightening the possibility of exposure to water-borne diseases as at least two bodies lay covered in printed cloth and banana leaves. An emotional woman in a maroon headscarf sat with tears dripping down her face. Mohammed Tanko, 29, a civil servant, pointed to a house he grew up in, telling reporters "we lost at least 15 from this house. The property (is) gone. We lost everything". Fisherman Danjuma Shaba, 35, said he slept rough in a car park. "I don't have a house to sleep in. My house has already collapsed," said Shaba. Nigeria's rainy season, which usually lasts six months, is just getting started for the year. Flooding, usually caused by heavy rains and poor infrastructure, wreaks havoc every year, killing hundreds of people across the west African country. Scientists have also warned that climate change is already fuelling more extreme weather patterns. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria's 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday. In 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in at least 31 out of Nigeria's 36 states, making it one of the country's worst floods in decades, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Climate
- Eyewitness News
Death toll in central Nigeria floods rises to 36: rescuers
KANO - The death toll in central Nigeria flash floods has risen to 36 after rescuers recovered more bodies, an emergency services spokesman told AFP Friday. Flooding after torrential rains late on Wednesday washed away more than 50 homes in the city of Mokwa in central Niger state, drowning residents with many missing, according to the Niger state emergency management agency (SEMA). "As at this morning, 11 more bodies were recovered in addition to the 25 found earlier, which brings the number of fatalities to 36 so far", Ibrahim Audu Husseini, SEMA spokesman said. Teams of rescuers continued to search for missing residents into Friday. "We expect the toll to rise considerably because there are different rescuers at different locations," Husseini said. Nigeria's rainy season, which usually lasts six months, is just getting started for the year. Scientists warn that climate change is already fuelling more extreme weather patterns. Flooding, usually caused by heavy rains and poor infrastructure, wreaks havoc every year, killing hundreds of people across the west African country. In Nigeria, the floods are exacerbated by inadequate drainage, the construction of homes on waterways, and the dumping of waste in drains and water channels. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had warned of possible flash floods in 15 of Nigeria's 36 states, including Niger state, between Wednesday and Friday. In 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in at least 31 out of Nigeria's 36 states, making it one of the country's worst floods in decades, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.
Zawya
05-02-2025
- Climate
- Zawya
Nigeria weather alert: FG warns of dry spell in some states during 2025 rainy season
The Federal government on Tuesday disclosed that some states in the country will experience severe dry spell of about 27 to 40 day during the 2025 rainy season. Speaking during the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) organized by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo warned that the Little Dry Season (LDS), also known as 'August Break' is predicted to begin by late July and would be severe only in parts of Lagos and Ogun states. 'The number of days with little or no rainfall will range between 27 to 40 days. Moderate LDS effect is expected over parts of Ogun, Oyo, and Ekiti states. Osun, Oyo, Kwara, and parts of Ondo north are likely to experience light or mild Little Dry Season'. He said during the April-May-June (AMJ) season, 'there is a likelihood of a severe dry spell of above 15 days after the establishment of rainfall in Oyo state (Saki, Iseyin, Ogbomosho, Atisbo, Orelope, Itesiwaju, Olorunsogo, Kajola, Iwajowa and Ori Ire). 'Moderate dry spell that may last up to 15 days is likely to occur in Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states in the south. However, for the northern states, a severe dry spell that may last up to 21 days is predicted for the June-July-August (JJA) season of 2025. 'As with previous years, there are pre-onset rainfall activities that should not be confused with the actual onset of the rainy season. 'Those engaged in rainfed agriculture and other-rainfall dependent activities in Nigeria are therefore advised to refer to the predicted onset dates in this publication or consult NiMet for proper guidance'. Keyamo explained that the onset of rain is predicted to be delayed over the northern and central states of Plateau as well as parts of Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kwara. 'While early onset is expected over the southern states of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, and sections of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi. 'The rest of the country is predicted to have a normal onset. Earlier than long-term average end-of-rainy season is predicted over parts of Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, FCT, Ekiti, and Ondo states. 'A delayed end of season is expected over parts of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Lagos, Kwara, Taraba, Oyo, Ogun, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Anambra, and Enugu states. 'The predicted length of rainy season in 2025 is expected to be mostly normal across the country. However, Borno and parts of Yobe states could experience shorter than normal length of season, Lagos, and Nasarawa states are likely to have longer than normal length of seasons in 2025'. He stated that a normal to below-normal annual rainfall is anticipated in most parts of Nigeria compared to the long-term average. 'Parts of Kebbi, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos Abia, Akwa Ibom states, and the FCT are expected to have above-normal annual rainfall amounts. High-intensity rainfall is expected in May-June that may likely result in flash floods in the coastal cities'. The Minister further stated that temperatures are expected to be generally above the long-term average across the country. 'Both daytime and nighttime temperatures are predicted to be warmer than the long-term average over most parts of the country in January, February, March, and May 2025. 'However, April day and nighttime temperatures are predicted to be generally cooler than normal, while warmer than normal temperatures are likely over most of the northern states,' he said. In his welcome address, the Director General of NiMet, Professor Charles Anosike noted that the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), aside being perishable also requires actors who will uptake the information, utilise it, and provide feedback for evaluation and improvement of the document. 'Everyone seated here today and those who have joined us virtually are custodians of the anticipated early actions to ensure the maximum and positive impact of the SCP'. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
