A severe flooding in northeastern Nigeria, triggered by the collapse of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, has left at least 30 people dead and more than a million others affected.
This disaster, which has ravaged Borno State, marks the worst flooding the region has seen in decades, forcing thousands of residents to abandon their homes in search of safety.
On Tuesday, the Alau dam, already strained by unseasonably heavy rainfall, gave way, releasing torrents of water that submerged entire communities.
The Borno State government confirmed that this year’s extreme weather had pushed the dam beyond capacity, echoing a similar collapse 30 years ago.
The current death toll stands at 30, but officials fear the numbers will rise as rescue and recovery efforts continue. “One million people have been affected so far,” said an aide to Governor Babagana Zulum, while warning that the real figure could surge to nearly two million once all displaced residents are accounted for.
Maiduguri, the state capital, has been one of the hardest-hit areas. The destruction of the central market has caused food prices to skyrocket, further deepening the crisis for families already struggling to cope.
In addition, the local zoo was partially destroyed by the floods, leading to the escape of several animals, including a crocodile that was spotted and killed near residential areas, sparking widespread fear.
West Africa, as a whole, has been grappling with record-breaking floods this year, with over 2.3 million people affected across the region.
This figure is three times higher than last year’s flood impact, according to the United Nations.
Experts point to climate change as a driving factor behind the region’s worsening natural disasters.
A recent report highlighted the devastating economic toll climate change is having on African nations, which are losing up to 5 percent of their GDP annually as they struggle to adapt.
Countries are now dedicating as much as 9 percent of their budgets to climate resilience measures, but the challenges are mounting with each passing year.
As the people of northeastern Nigeria face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives, the country and the continent continue to grapple with the far-reaching consequences of climate change.
This is a call for proactive action by the government. Agencies like the WHO and NEMA had previously warned of this impending flood, urging the government to take preventive measures to mitigate the devastation.
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We hope these events will prompt the government to take necessary steps ahead of next year’s flood season.
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