Rescue efforts are ongoing in Niger State as authorities continue to search for missing individuals following severe flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall on Wednesday night, which swept away and submerged numerous homes.

As of Friday, more than 100 people have been confirmed dead due to the flooding, with officials warning that the death toll could rise further. The devastation struck communities in and around Mokwa, where torrential rains led to sudden flooding.

“We have so far recovered 115 bodies, and we anticipate finding more as the floodwaters carried victims into the River Niger,” said Ibrahim Audu Husseini, spokesperson for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, speaking to AFP. 

“Bodies are still being recovered downstream, so the numbers continue to grow,” he added.

Many individuals remain unaccounted for. In one tragic case, only four members of a 12-person family have been found. Some victims were discovered beneath the debris of collapsed buildings, prompting officials to call for excavators to assist in recovery efforts.

Earlier on Friday, Hussaini Isah, the official overseeing the rescue operation, initially reported a provisional death toll of 88.

An AFP correspondent on the scene witnessed emergency workers combing through the rubble and floodwaters, while locals also searched for loved ones and possessions.

“We Lost Everything”

Children displaced by the disaster played in stagnant floodwaters, raising concerns about the potential spread of waterborne diseases. At least two bodies were seen covered with fabric and banana leaves.

One grieving woman sat silently, tears streaming down her face. Civil servant Mohammed Tanko, 29, pointed to a home where he grew up and shared his grief: “We lost at least 15 people from this house. The property is gone. We lost everything.”

Danjuma Shaba, a 35-year-old fisherman, said he was forced to sleep in a car park after losing his home. “I don’t have a house to go back to. It’s already collapsed,” he lamented.

Nigeria’s rainy season has only just begun, typically lasting about six months. Each year, flooding—often caused by intense rainfall and inadequate infrastructure—results in widespread destruction and loss of life across the country.

Experts have long warned that climate change is intensifying such extreme weather events. In Nigeria, the situation is worsened by blocked drainage systems, construction on waterways, and indiscriminate dumping of waste into drainage channels.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had issued warnings earlier in the week, predicting flash floods in 15 states, including Niger, between Wednesday and Friday.

In 2024, Nigeria experienced one of its most devastating flood disasters in decades, with over 1,200 lives lost and 1.2 million people displaced across 31 states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency.