The death toll from the devastating flood that swept through Mokwa town in Niger State has risen to more than 60, as rescue workers continue to recover more bodies from submerged homes and farmlands.
Twelve members of a family were among the people who died in a flood that occurred at Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa communities in Mokwa Local Government Area late Wednesday night.
The flood left many other persons dead, including over 50 almajirai who have been declared missing.
Mokwa is renowned as a resting and parking point for travelers and heavy-duty vehicles, making it one of the busiest towns in Niger State.
Sources confirmed that that the flood, which struck in the early hours of Wednesday, has been described by residents and local officials as the deadliest in the history of the town.
Community sources said many victims were caught in their sleep as the waters surged through residential areas, destroying houses, farmlands, and critical infrastructure.
“The scale of destruction and the number of deaths recorded in this single incident has never been experienced before in Mokwa,” a resident, Malam Musa Ibrahim, said.
While the exact cause of the flooding is yet to be confirmed, local speculation points to a possible release of water from the Kainji Dam.
A resident of the area, Hajiya Hassana Mokwa, told Daily Trust that 12 of the 13 members of her brother’s family died in incident; while the only survivor was hospitalised.
She said the incident also claimed the lives of some pupils of a Quranic school owned by her cousin.
“In my brother’s house, they were 13 in number and only one person survived and is currently at the hospital. Many almajirai pupils in a Quranic school being operated by our cousin also died. Nobody survived in that house and the entire building was submerged. If you go there now, you won’t know if they ever built a house there.
“There is a one-storey building which was a residential building. It was completely submerged. As I speak with you, nobody has ascertained the number of people in the rubbles of that building”, she said.
She said as of 7pm yesterday, funerals were being held for those whose bodies had been recovered.
Emergency response teams and volunteers are continuing recovery and relief efforts, as dozens remain missing and hundreds displaced.
Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Area, Hon. Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi, confirmed the rising casualty figure and called on the Niger State Government and relevant federal agencies to urgently intervene with relief materials and long-term support for affected communities.
“This is a tragic day for us. We are overwhelmed by the destruction and the high number of lives lost,” he said.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other stakeholders are expected to arrive the town for a full-scale assessment and coordinated humanitarian response.
Written with reports from Zagazola Makama, Daily Trust
