The death toll from flooding in Nigeria’s Niger State has risen to 151, with thousands forced from their homes, according to emergency officials.
Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, Director of Information at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the updated figure on Saturday. Just a day earlier, the death toll had been reported as 117.
Hussaini stated that more than 500 households have been affected, displacing over 3,000 people. The devastating floods hit the central town of Mokwa on Wednesday night and continued into Thursday morning. Days later, rescue teams are still combing through mud and debris, searching for victims.
Flooding is a common occurrence in Nigeria during the rainy season, which starts in April. In 2022, the country experienced its worst flooding in over a decade, which killed more than 600 people, displaced around 1.4 million, and destroyed nearly 440,000 hectares (1.09 million acres) of farmland.
