Abuja (The Hawk): According to the Nigerian government, since the start of this year's rainy season, flooding in the nation has killed 612 people and negatively affected 3,219,780 others.
At a press conference to inform the public of the ministry's and National Emergency Management Agency's responses to the flood situation across the nation, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development of Nigeria, confirmed this.
According to the minister, as of Monday, flooding in some areas of the country had caused 1,427,370 people to be displaced and 2,776 injuries. He also noted that 181,600 homes had suffered partial damage and another 123,807 homes had sustained complete damage.
She claims that 392,399 hectares of farmland sustained complete damage, while 176,852 hectares of farmland sustained partial damage.
The official emphasised that food and non-food items were already being distributed to other states while attesting to the distribution of relief supplies to the 21 flood-affected states.
The ministry is collaborating with the military and other stakeholders with specialised skills and equipment to ensure means to reach difficult-to-reach areas, according to Farouq. "While specialised teams are on the ground, there are still some states and local governments that are inaccessible and hard to reach," he added.
According to the minister, since the flooding began, search and rescue personnel have been working around the clock to evacuate, relocate, and refer victims to hospitals for immediate care.
The Nigerian government has previously stated that this year's floods have already wreaked havoc in at least 31 states and the Abuja Federal Capital Territory.
(Inputs from Agencies)
