Authorities in Nigeria announced that the death toll from floods that struck Niger State in the north-central part of the country has risen to 200.Heavy rains last Thursday caused devastating floods in the town of Mokwa, about 380 km west of Abuja, a major commercial and transportation hub.The Deputy Chairman of Mokwa Local Government Musa Kimboku, confirmed the updated death toll. He said that rescue operations were called off because authorities no longer believed there were any survivors. Kimbuko added that to prevent the spread of disease, officials are currently recovering bodies buried under the rubble.A spokesperson for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) Ibrahim Audu Hussaini said yesterday that more than 3,000 people in Mokwa had been displaced.Hussaini added that the rains damaged at least 500 homes in three areas, nearly obscuring the view from rooftops, while water levels reached waist height.Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has directed the NSEMA to expedite aid to the state.Nigeria regularly experiences flooding during the rainy season from May to September. Scientists say that climate change is contributing to more extreme weather events.Floods, typically caused by heavy rains and dilapidated infrastructure, cause huge destruction every year, killing hundreds. Flooding is exacerbated by inadequate drainage systems and the construction of homes in flood-prone areas.NSEMA confirmed that in 2024, more than 1,200 people were killed and 1.2 million displaced in at least 31 of Nigeria's 36 states during one of the worst floods the country has seen in decades. (QNA
