The devastating floods that ravaged the Nigerian town of Mokwa in Niger State have now claimed over 200 lives, with 500 people still missing, officials confirmed Sunday. Rescue operations have been called off as authorities believe no survivors remain in the debris.
The disaster struck last Thursday after torrential rains triggered catastrophic flooding in the communities of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa, sweeping away homes and families. Musa Kimboku, Mokwa’s deputy local government chairman, told newsmen that the scale of destruction left little hope of finding more survivors.
With bodies still buried under mud and wreckage, Muhammadu Aliyu, Mokwa’s district head, warned of disease risks and said mass burials would soon begin. Survivors recounted harrowing scenes of loved ones and homes being swallowed by floodwaters.
Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced on Sunday that aid distribution had started, but damaged roads and bridges are hampering relief efforts. The Nigerian Red Cross described “significant loss of life and widespread distress,” with many displaced and in urgent need of food, shelter, and medical care.
Floods are common during Nigeria’s April–October rainy season, but climate change and poor infrastructure have worsened their impact. In 2024 alone, multiple states have faced deadly flooding, echoing the 2022 disaster that killed over 600 people and displaced 1.3 million.
