- The National Emergency Management Agency recorded 179 deaths and the displacement of over 200,000 people over severe flooding this year
- The agency reported that the flood destroyed 80,049 houses and 107,652 hectares of farmlands
- President Bola Tinubu sympathized with the victims, assuring them that his administration will continue to support them
The National Emergency Management Agency has reported that 179 people have lost their lives as a result of severe flooding in Nigeria this year.
The agency said 208,655 persons have also been displaced across 28 states with the flood destroying 107,652 hectares of land and 80,049 houses in 137 local government areas across the country.
This information was disclosed by the Director General of the agency, Mrs Zubaida Umar on Wednesday, August 28 in Abuja during a visit by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.
According to TheNation, Mrs Umar said: “We activated the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) for recent flooding. This was done to streamline disaster response efforts. The centre is a command centre for resource management and communication.
“From the centre, the 2024 flood situation report as of Tuesday, August 27 shows that 28 states have been affected in 137 local government areas.
“About 532,600 persons are affected, 208,655 displaced, 80,049 houses affected, 179 lives lost, 2,016 injuries sustained, 107,652 hectares of farmlands affected.
The director general explained that the agency had conducted search and rescue operations this year and responded to flood disasters, fire incidents, collapsed buildings, as well as rainstorm and windstorm incidents.
Umar added that NEMA coordinated responses to 158 emergencies, thereby aiding 118,337 individuals, rescuing 4,706 and, unfortunately, reporting 1,414 fatalities.
#DearHR: Stuck Lagos employees make light of heavy downpour, flooding
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that a heavy downpour which started in the early hours of Wednesday morning left many stranded across some states in Southwest Nigeria.
Reports have it that multiple areas in Lagos State have been flooded, ruining millions of properties. The rain also disrupted many people's schedules, and some people even missed work.