More than 600 people have been killed in Nigeria as catastrophic floods leave the African country devastated. CNN reported, quoting the humanitarian affairs ministry of Nigeria, that more than 2 million people have been affected by floods and over 200,000 homes have been completely or partially destroyed. The death toll from the worst flooding Nigeria has seen in a decade has passed 600 people, the ministry tweeted on Sunday.
More than 200,000 homes have been completely or partially damaged, it added. The recent floods have been one of the worst kinds the country has seen in a decade. The flooding in certain areas has been more severe than the last major floods in 2012.
Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, warned Sunday that more flooding was likely and urged regional governments to prepare accordingly. Earlier this month, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency warned of catastrophic flooding for several regions located along the courses of the Niger and Benue rivers, CNN reported.
The ministry of humanitarian affairs said on Twitter Sunday that it was calling on the respective state governments, local government councils, and communities to prepare for more flooding by evacuating people living on flood plains to high grounds, providing tents and relief materials, fresh water, and medical supplies for a possible outbreak of water-borne diseases,” the ministry of humanitarian affairs said on Twitter Sunday.
Nigeria will soon implement its National Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan targeted at improving coordination of the flood response efforts. Moreover, relief efforts are underway amid the devastation the country has suffered due to a lack of preparedness for the natural disaster.