612 dead, 2,776 injured from devastating floods across Nigeria: Minister

At least 1,427,370 people have been rendered homeless and thousands of houses and hectares of farmlands have been destroyed.

HARUN BABAIZHI • OCTOBER 25, 2022

Mrs Farouq, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, made the disclosure on Tuesday.

She said that the floods had also rendered at least 1,427,370 people homeless while thousands of houses and hectares of farmlands have been destroyed. 

“Approximately 2,776 persons have been injured and approximately 612 people have been killed. 181,600 Houses have been partially damaged, while 123,807 houses have been totally damaged,” the minister briefed journalists in Abuja. 

“There are 3,219,780 persons affected by floods in 2022. There are 1,427,370 persons that have been internally displaced.

“Finally, 176,852 hectares of farmlands have been partially damaged and 392,399 hectares of farmlands have been totally damaged,” she said. 

With the humanitarian crisis, Nigeria is arguably facing one of its worst flooding incidents in decades.

The disaster, which has affected several communities, has attracted reactions from international organisations calling for urgent support to the affected areas. 

Listing about 20 states including Bayelsa, Anambra, Kwara, Taraba, and Sokoto among the currently flooded areas, Mrs Farouq said the federal government had sent relief materials to cushion the effects for the people who had been rendered homeless. 

She explained that the food items distributed for the survivors include rice, maize, garri, vegetable oil, tomato paste, seasoning, and beans. 

According to her, the non-food items are materials to assist with temporary shelters for displaced communities, such as roofing sheets, cement, nails, ceiling boards, blankets, nylon mats, and zinc.

As the country battles with the humanitarian crisis, the situation is also threatening food security as the floods destroyed several hectares of farmlands.

Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, had recently blamed the disaster as an “act of God” and attributed some of the cases to “human making” due to their years of disregard for nature and proper planning.

Also, president Muhammadu Buhari on Monday order Mr Adamu to within three months develop a comprehensive action plan for the prevention of the disaster.