A torrential downpour in the early hours of Thursday triggered a catastrophic flood in Mokwa town, Niger State, leaving at least 21 people dead and 10 others unaccounted for, officials have confirmed.
The flood, which submerged large portions of the town, devastated the communities of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa in Mokwa Local Government Area. Over 50 homes were swept away during the hours-long rainfall, which caused severe water surges and widespread destruction.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, confirmed the scale of the disaster in a statement released Thursday.
The operation is being conducted in collaboration with the Mokwa Local Government authorities, local divers, and volunteer emergency responders. Three survivors, including a mother and her two children, are receiving medical care at the Mokwa General Hospital for injuries and trauma sustained during the flood.
The disaster struck just as the state was marking the second anniversary of Governor Mohammed Bago’s administration, casting a somber tone over the celebrations.