Nearly 100 people remain missing and 160 are confirmed dead a week after devastating floods swept through the central Nigerian town of Mokwa, emergency officials said Wednesday.
The floods, triggered by heavy rains, destroyed homes and overwhelmed drainage systems in one of the deadliest disasters to hit Nigeria in recent years. Mokwa lies about 270 km (168 miles) west of the capital, Abuja.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing but have been hindered by damaged roads and collapsed bridges, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The agency is working with the Red Cross, police, and military to locate the missing.
“There is heightened risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding and contaminated water sources,” NEMA said.
Among the victims is 27-year-old Habiba Abdulahi, who lost four of her five children in the floodwaters. “Just like that, my children were gone,” she said. “Even now, we haven’t found them, but we are still hoping to recover their bodies.”
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has deployed teams to the area to provide emergency healthcare, including services for pregnant women.
Flooding is a recurring crisis in Nigeria during the rainy season, which runs from April to October.
