Death toll in Niger flood hits 115

Death toll from the Thursday devastating flood in Niger State has risen to 115, official sources have confirmed.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba Arah, confirmed the latest figures on Friday.

According to him, over 300 houses were destroyed.

The flood, which ravaged Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa Local Government Area, on Thursday, was reported to have caused scores of death with many still missing.

Residents of the area are still reeling from the loss of loved ones, with grief and despair hanging heavy over the community.

Besides, there are claims that several travellers, who stopped over as usual for prayers or to pass the night in the busy Mokwa town, were affected by the flood, and several of them have not been identified.

Reports reveal that some families were completely wiped out with schools and places of worship submerged.

A woman identified as Kaka Dazana reportedly lost all her four children and was barely rescued herself.

A single family also reportedly lost 13 out of 15 members, and a woman and her three children remain missing.

A large mosque, once considered a place of refuge, collapsed while it was filled with worshippers. Eyewitnesses say even those who sought safety on the rooftop were not spared.

While the total number of casualties remains unknown, many are believed to have been swept into the River Niger through the Rabba and Koshaba valleys.

The heavy rainfall that led to the flood disaster reportedly began around 3:00 a.m. while many residents were asleep, resulting in significant loss of life and widespread distress.