Northeastern Nigeria is experiencing severe flooding this week. According to local authorities, it is the worst flooding in the area in twenty years. About 1 million people have been affected by the high water.
The flooding was caused by a dam in the northeastern state of Borno overflowing after heavy rains, Reuters reports . Photos from AFP news agency showed water reaching roofs of homes in the nearby city of Maiduguri.
Chachu Tadicha, Save the Children’s head of emergency aid in Nigeria, is in Maiduguri and reports Friday that families are still trapped in their homes. “Half the city is submerged and the roads are impassable.”
Two hospitals in the area have also been flooded, he said. This is worrying, as the damage to water and sanitation facilities caused by the floods increases the risk of diseases such as cholera.
Floods are common in Nigeria. In October 2022, more than 600 people were killed by floods in the country and 1.3 million people were forced to flee their homes. Also in September 2018, 100 people were killed by floods after the Niger and Benue rivers burst their banks.
Authorities have yet to release figures on casualties from the flooding. Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reports that 229 people have died in the country this year due to flooding.
