Nigeria Floods: 200 confirmed dead, 500 others missing and presumed dead

A total of 200 people have lost their lives following severe flooding in Nigeria's Mokwa town on Thursday last week.

While the official death toll stands at 200, Nigerian authorities fear that an additional 500 people who went missing after the floods may also have died. According to the BBC, the Nigerian government has since called off rescue efforts.

The floods, described as the most severe the area has seen in 60 years, devastated the Mokwa districts of Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa following heavy rainfall.

Residents have reported witnessing their loved ones and property being swept away by the floods, with some bodies carried as far as Rabba town, located an hour from Mokwa. Others have alleged that the flooding was caused by the rupture of a nearby dam, but authorities are yet to verify the claims.

To help stop the spread of disease, officials plan to begin exhuming bodies buried underground, according to Mokwa's district head, Muhammadu Aliyu. Authorities have also directed adjacent residents to bury any corpse that they can find.

On Saturday, officials from Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced that the agency had handed over relief items to affected citizens.

"In response to the devastating flood disaster that recently impacted Mokwa town, and following the approval of relief materials by the Director General of the NEMA, the official flag-off for the distribution of relief items took place on May 31, 2025 at the Mokwa Local Government Secretariat," said NEMA in a statement on Facebook.

On Friday, the Nigerian Red Cross also reported multiple fatalities and widespread property destruction in Mokwa.

"Heavy rainfall began around 3 am while most residents were still asleep, leading to the sudden and tragic loss of lives and displacement of families," the Nigerian Red Cross said in the statement.

"Our volunteers are on the ground, offering critical support to survivors and aiding in locating those still missing. We remain committed to supporting government-led initiatives and are working closely with local authorities to deliver emergency relief."

Flooding is a recurring issue during Nigeria's rainy season, which runs from April to October. In recent years, heavy rains have triggered deadly floods, including in 2024 and 2022, when over 600 lives were lost and more than a million people were displaced.

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• Nigeria Floods: 200 confirmed dead
• 500 others missing and presumed dead