Difficulties reaching communities impacted by devastating flooding in Mokwa in north-central Nigeria is hampering relief efforts, said Save the Children which is preparing to respond to the disaster.
Over 1,500 people have been displaced from their homes, scores of people are dead, and nearly 100 people are reported missing since torrential rains and the collapse of a dam last week led to the worst flooding to hit the area in 60 years.
Houses, roads and farmland have been completely submerged in water and mud, with the floodwaters destroying vital aid routes, including two bridges, making it hard to reach Mokwa which is about 230 miles (370km) west of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
Duncan Harvey, Save the Children’s Country Director in Nigeria, said:
“The reports coming out of Mokwa are nothing short of devastating. Large parts of the bustling town have been reduced to mud and rubble, and many families have lost everything. Tragically, it is also a situation of deep mourning, as dozens of people including many children remain missing.
“Reaching communities in Mokwa is also challenging due to the devastation the floods have wreaked, cutting off transport links, which makes children separated from their families even more vulnerable.
“The needs are huge and children and families in Mokwa desperately need donors and the government to urgently ramp up support in the form of a coordinated response that meets the needs of children and families who have lost everything.”
Nigeria is no stranger to flood crises, with major floods devastating 30 of Nigeria’s 36 states in September last year, killing hundreds and forcing some 640,000 people from their homes.
Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001 and has been responding to the humanitarian crisis in the northeast since 2014. Save the Children is providing food, clean water, nutrition and protection services and education to families across Nigeria. Save the Children also provides technical support to the government on policy changes and reforms, especially in critical sectors such as health, education, and social protection – and Anticipatory Action for crisis prevention.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.
