A week after devastating floods swept through the town of Mokwa in central Nigeria, the country continues to count the human toll, with 160 confirmed fatalities and at least 98 individuals still unaccounted for, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The catastrophic event has left rescue teams racing against time, even as the likelihood of finding additional survivors diminishes.
Triggered by intense rainfall, the floods engulfed large parts of Mokwa—located approximately 270 kilometers (168 miles) west of Abuja—damaging homes and submerging roads after local drainage systems were overwhelmed. The disaster is now considered one of the deadliest flooding incidents in Nigeria’s recent history.
NEMA reported that ongoing search-and-rescue efforts are being severely hindered by the destruction of critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges. The agency is coordinating with the Nigeria Red Cross, local police, and the military in response operations.
“Teams are working to locate missing persons. There is heightened risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding and contaminated water sources,” NEMA said in a statement.
For many residents, the emotional impact is immeasurable. Habiba Abdulahi, a 27-year-old mother, shared the tragic loss of four of her five children in the floods.
“Just like that, my children were gone. Even now, we haven’t found them, but we are still hoping to recover their bodies,” she told Reuters in a phone interview.
In response to the humanitarian emergency, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that it had dispatched teams to provide essential health services to affected residents, with a focus on vulnerable groups, including pregnant women.
Flooding is a recurring challenge in Nigeria during the annual rainy season, which typically runs from April through October. This latest incident underscores the urgent need for enhanced infrastructure, early-warning systems, and stronger disaster preparedness to mitigate future losses.
