Over 150 Dead as Torrential Rains Trigger Catastrophic Flooding in Nigeria
In what has become one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent Nigerian history, over 150 people have been confirmed dead following weeks of relentless torrential rainfall that triggered widespread flooding across multiple states. The flooding, which began in mid-May 2025, has displaced tens of thousands, destroyed homes, submerged farmland, and devastated infrastructure.
According to Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the hardest-hit regions include Kogi, Benue, Niger, Anambra, and parts of Lagos. Rivers have overflowed their banks, sweeping away homes, roads, and entire communities. In many areas, people were forced to seek shelter on rooftops, waiting days for rescue teams to reach them. Many others were not so fortunate.
“The water came in the middle of the night,” said Chidiebere Okafor, a farmer from Anambra whose village was washed away. “We heard screams. People were crying for help, but no one could do anything. Everything we owned is gone.”
Officials have linked the catastrophic flooding to a combination of climate change, poor urban planning, blocked drainage systems, and the release of water from local dams. Meteorologists warn that this may only be the beginning of a longer, wetter-than-usual rainy season. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has already predicted heavier downpours in the coming weeks, heightening fears of further destruction.
Emergency services are overwhelmed. With many rural areas inaccessible, the true death toll could be far higher than currently reported. Humanitarian agencies on the ground have described the situation as “dire,” with shortages of clean water, food, medicine, and shelter. Makeshift camps for displaced families are overcrowded and at risk of disease outbreaks.
Children are among the most vulnerable. Schools in several states have been shut down or converted into temporary shelters. “We are facing a humanitarian emergency,” said Dr. Amina Bako, a Red Cross coordinator working in Niger State. “We need immediate international support to prevent a secondary disaster of cholera, malaria, and starvation.”
President Bola Tinubu has called for urgent relief efforts and deployed military assistance for rescue operations, but critics say the government was slow to act. Civil society groups argue that more proactive flood control measures could have saved lives, including improved early-warning systems, dam regulation, and proper waste disposal practices to prevent drainage blockages.
Beyond the immediate tragedy lies a longer-term crisis. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, remains highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters. Experts warn that without serious investment in resilient infrastructure and climate adaptation strategies, these deadly floods could become a grim annual reality.
For families like the Okafors, the pain is unbearable. “We’ve lost everything,” Chidiebere says, standing beside the ruins of his home. “But we’re alive. And now we must rebuild, somehow.”
As rescue efforts continue and rain clouds loom, the nation watches, hoping the worst is over. But for the thousands affected, the scars of this disaster will take far longer to heal than the floodwaters themselves.
