NEMA: Floods Ravage 19 States, Over 119,000 Affected — Women and Children Hit Hardest

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has raised the alarm over widespread flooding that has already affected 19 states across Nigeria, displacing thousands and leaving devastating impacts on communities.

According to the agency’s latest data dashboard released on Friday, more than 119,000 people have been affected, with women and children making up the majority of the victims.

NEMA reported that the floods have so far claimed the lives of 165 people, while 82 are still missing. An additional 138 individuals sustained various injuries, and 43,936 have been displaced from their homes.

The hardest-hit states include Imo, Rivers, Abia, Borno, and Kaduna, with the disaster stretching across 43 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in total. The data also revealed widespread property damage:

8,594 houses have been affected

8,278 farmlands destroyed

In terms of demographics, those affected include:

53,314 children

36,573 women

24,600 men

5,304 elderly persons

1,863 persons with disabilities

The 19 states impacted by the floods are: Abia, FCT, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Ondo, Rivers, and Sokoto.

NEMA has continued to call for increased preparedness, early warning systems, and community-level awareness to reduce the impact of such disasters. The agency also appealed for stronger collaboration among federal, state, and local governments to improve response efforts and provide relief to affected families.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with the effects of climate change and poor urban planning, flood disasters are expected to remain a serious challenge unless decisive action is taken.