Death toll reaches at least 200 in Nigerian town submerged in floods as rescue efforts halted
ABUJA, Nigeria — The death toll from devastating flooding in a market town in Nigeria's north-central state of Niger rose to at least 200 on Sunday, a local official said.
Torrents of predawn rainfall early Thursday unleashed the devastating flood on Mokwa, nearly 380 kilometers (236 miles) west of Abuja and a major trading and transportation hub where northern Nigerian farmers sell beans, onions and other food to traders from the south.
The deputy chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Musa Kimboku, confirmed the updated fatality count to The Associated Press on Sunday. He said rescue operations have been called off, as authorities no longer believe there are any survivors.
To prevent the outbreak of disease, officials are currently exhuming bodies buried beneath the rubble, Kimboku added.
On Saturday, the spokesperson for the Niger State emergency service, Ibrahim Audu Husseini, said an additional 11 people were injured and more than 3,000 people were displaced.
At least 500 households across three communities were affected by the sudden and intense flood that built rapidly in about five hours, leaving roofs barely visible and surviving residents waist-deep in water, trying to salvage what they could and rescue others.
Husseini added that two roads were washed away and two bridges collapsed.
In a statement on Friday night, President Bola Tinubu expressed condolences and said he had directed the activation of an emergency response to support victims and 'accelerate' recovery.
Flooding is common during Nigeria's wet season. Communities in northern Nigeria have been experiencing prolonged dry spells worsened by climate change and excessive rainfall that leads to severe flooding during the brief wet season. But this flood has been particularly deadly in Mokwa, a farming region near the banks of the River Niger.
Mokwa community leader Aliki Musa said the villagers are not used to such flooding.
The chairman of the Mokwa local government area, Jibril Muregi, told local news website Premium Times that construction of flood-control works was long overdue.
Dyepkazah Shibayan and Taiwo Adebayo, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
Missing person count from deadly Texas floods down to just three: officials
Just three people remain missing — down from nearly 100 at last count — since the Texas Hill Country was pounded by massive flooding on July 4, officials said Saturday. Article content Officials praised rescuers for the sharp reduction in the number of people on the missing list: Just days after the catastrophic flooding, more than 160 people were said to be unaccounted for in Kerr County alone. Article content Article content 'This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a statement. Article content Article content The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometres) northwest of San Antonio. Article content Just before daybreak on July 4, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 metres) on the Guadalupe, washing away homes and vehicles. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country, a popular tourist destination where campers seek out spots along the river amid the rolling landscape. It is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. Article content Article content Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, including Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls. Located in a low-lying area of a region known as 'flash flood alley,' Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counsellors. Article content Article content The flooding was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and it moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system. Article content In Kerrville, about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Austin, local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising waters. Article content President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding. Article content Crews have been searching for victims using helicopters, boats and drones. Earlier efforts were hampered by rain forecasts, leading some crews to hold off or stop because of worries about more flooding. Article content
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
What to know as Texas' search for flood victims stretches into a 3rd week
Rain falls over a makeshift memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River, Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) AUSTIN, Texas — The search for victims of deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country is headed into its third week as officials try to pin down exactly how many people remain missing and lawmakers prepare to discuss authorities' initial response and providing better warning systems. Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometres) northwest of San Antonio. The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. The Texas Legislature is scheduled to convene Monday for a special session. Gov. Greg Abbott initially called lawmakers back to the Texas State Capitol in Austin for other reasons, but he and legislative leaders have added flooding-related issues to the agenda. How many people remain missing? State officials had been saying about 160 people were unaccounted for after the flooding in Kerr County alone, but they now say about 100 remain missing in Kerr and other counties. Kerr County officials said the number of missing people decreased as victims were recovered, contact was made with people who were found safe, and some reports were found to be unsubstantiated or falsified. Also, they said, the missing list fluctuates as reports come into a hotline. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, and Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe. At least 27 of its campers and counselors died. The flooding expands lawmakers' agenda Abbott called the special session hoping legislators would pass a measure to regulate a booming business in THC products after he vetoed a bill that would have banned them. And since the flooding, U.S. President Donald Trump has told the Republicans who control state government to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP's chances of retaining a U.S. House majority in next year's midterm elections. Abbott said lawmakers would also review authorities' handling of the flooding and consider improving warning systems for Hill Country residents. Kerr County does not have a warning system because state and local agencies missed opportunities over the past decade to finance one. Trump and Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding. The president called a reporter 'evil' for raising such issues and said he thought 'everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances.' Abbott dismissed a question about who was to blame for the deaths as 'the word choice of losers' and used an analogy that began: 'Every football team makes mistakes.' 'The way winners talk is not to point fingers,' he concluded. Lawmakers plan to visit the hardest-hit county Abbott has designated bills dealing with early warning systems and emergency communications as priorities for the Legislature's special session, scheduled to last 30 days. The House and Senate have formed special committees on flooding and disaster preparedness, and they're planning a July 31 visit to Kerrville, the seat of hardest-hit Kerr County, to hear comments from residents. The committees are scheduled to begin with a joint hearing Wednesday to consider the state's response to the fatal floods; planning for floods; infrastructure for managing floods; and communications among first responders. One bill already introduced by Republican Rep. Don McLaughlin would require the state's top public health official to set building standards for youth camps in 100-year floodplains — which FEMA defines as a high-risk area with a one per cent chance of flooding in any given year. During a recent news conference, Republican state Rep. Drew Darby, a member of the House's committee, said lawmakers cannot bring back flood victims or undo the flooding. 'But what we can do is learn from it,' he said. ___ Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Jim Vertuno in Austin contributed. John Hanna And Nadia Lathan, The Associated Press
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Yukon Energy's relicensing application faces pushback from Marsh Lake residents
Some residents of Marsh Lake say they've lost trust in Yukon Energy. It comes on the heels of Yukon Energy's attempt to relicence the Whitehorse Dam for 20 years. Some residents say mismanagment by the corporation led to major flooding in 2021. Now, they want stricter conditions on any prospective deal. Virginie Ann has more.
