ABUJA, Nigeria –
Hundreds of travellers remained stranded in Nigeria’s northcentral Kogi state after main connecting roads to different components of the West African nation had been submerged amid the nation’s worst flooding in a decade, locals and authorities stated Thursday.
The floods additionally killed seven individuals whose houses had been swept away within the state’s Ibaji council space, the Kogi commissioner for data stated as authorities struggled to evacuate residents in affected areas.
“We’re in the midst of a terrifying humanitarian disaster as we communicate,” Kingsley Fanwo informed The Related Press, including that 1000’s of houses had been swamped.
Kogi borders 10 states along with Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. Lokoja, the state capital, is located on the confluence of Nigeria’s two greatest rivers, Niger and Benue, and roads alongside river banks are extra liable to flooding.
Nigeria’s floods are blamed primarily on the discharge of extra water from Lagdo dam in neighbouring Cameroon and weird rainfall. Greater than 300 individuals have been killed this yr.
Kogi Gov. Yahaya Bello has requested Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of nationwide catastrophe to assist speed up a authorities response.