In the past week, Nigeria was, once again, struck with a terrible natural disaster. Flood in Nigeria has taken more than a dozen lives, and the death toll keeps rising. Many have been injured; even more people are left without homes. Let’s talk about the flood in Nigeria, and how the government is coping with this tragedy. And if you want to know why it happened, you can find out below.
Flood in Nigeria 2017
July greeted Nigerians with torrential downpours. The meteorologists said that the southwestern Nigeria, and Lagos in particular, had 4 to 6 inches of rain in the period from July 2 to July 8. After a very heavy rain that fell over the southwestern states over the weekend, a flood alert in Nigeria has been in full force.
The heaviest rain hit Suleja, a Niger State city located near Abuja. Most people did not expect the rainfall to be this long and excessive, so they were trapped in their homes. Many buildings collapsed as a result of the heavy rain. One man reported that his family perished under the debris of their house. His six children and two wives were stuck under the destroyed building.
Lagos State also suffered greatly from the flood. Because of the faulty drainage system, the city began to drown after several hours of incessant downpour. Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikoyi and several other expensive neighborhoods in Lagos were left without electricity. There have been reports that dangerous animals, such as crocodiles, have been found in the flooded streets. The good news is that there are no reported casualties.
Flood in Nigeria today
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This flood is not yet as deadly and disastrous as the ones that happened in 2012 and 2016. We should remind you that in 2012, almost 6000 houses were destroyed, 7.7 million people suffered from the aftermath, and 2 million people were unaccounted for. Nevertheless, the authorities are still struggling to deal with the aftermath of this year’s flood.
Flood in Nigeria news keep coming in. The number of casualties in Suleja has risen from two reported cases to thirteen. This figure might grow even bigger over time, as the search for survivors and deceased continues. Many people have not been found or recovered; hospitals are struggling to treat all those affected by the flood.
The latest reports say that in Suleja, 500 people are missing, and no less than 90 buildings collapsed. The rain did not stop for 10 hours, and many feeble structures fell apart due to the pressure. Lagos suffered less, and
The government officials warn people against leaving their homes until the water settles. Those who are stranded might have to find refuge in the nearest schools and hospitals. Medics warn people against consuming any food that has been touched by the flooded waters, and to wash their hands after coming into contact with it. The police are patrolling the territories around destroyed houses to prevent looting.
What is the cause of the flood?
This flood in Nigeria is a terrifying result of negligence from the government and relevant authorities. Nigeria has been suffering from flooding since the 1950s. Since then, not many improvements have been made in terms of preventing the floods from happening. Currently, everyone is spending more and more time on research of the outcomes of floods. It would be better if some of this time should be spent on researching the ways of flood prevention and implementing those methods.
Flood prone areas in Nigeria are mostly those that are located in the deltas of rivers Benue, Hadeja and Niger, as well as the coastal areas in the lowest parts of the country. This includes the states of Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cross River, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, and Oyo. The floods usually come between the months of July and October.
The enormous level of destruction is also linked to the poor planning of the urban areas. The recent changes in climate led to heavier downpours, and the houses that are too close to the large bodies of water are the ones that suffer the most. As the coastal areas attract the most people, the aftermaths of the floods are so severe.
The importance of a working drainage system cannot be overlooked. The problem of cities like Lagos is that the people dump waste in the drain. It blocks the drainage, so the excess water, instead of going away, collects in large quantities and spills out on the streets.
Nigeria is currently among 20 countries that will be negatively impacted by flooding in the future. If no changes are made, the country will have to face terrible consequences of the climate change. We hope that this particular flood would be dealt with soon, and that no one else will have to suffer from this natural disaster. Our prayers are with those who were affected by it. May God help us all!
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