At least 88 people have died after severe flooding struck Mokwa, a market town in Nigeria’s Niger State, officials have confirmed.
The floods, which submerged large parts of the community on Thursday, were caused by prolonged torrential rain, with local authorities warning that more lives remain at risk.
Husseini Isah, head of the emergency operations office in Minna, the state capital, said the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue.
“The number keeps rising,” he told the Associated Press. “But at the last count, 88 bodies have been recovered.”
Early reports had estimated around 20 casualties, but the situation escalated rapidly due to the intensity of the flooding.
Local reports suggest that the collapse of a nearby dam significantly worsened the disaster, sending large volumes of water into residential areas.
Mokwa serves as a key trading hub between Nigeria’s southern and northern regions, making the flooding’s impact both humanitarian and economic.
The incident has drawn comparisons to similar floods in Maiduguri last September, when heavy rains and another dam collapse killed at least 30 people and displaced millions in the insurgency-hit northeast.
Seasonal flooding is a recurring threat in Nigeria, particularly in communities situated along the Niger and Benue rivers.
Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain on alert as further rain is expected in the coming days.
