KEY POINTS
- A dam collapse in Maiduguri, Nigeria, has caused severe flooding, affecting over a million people.
- Rescue operations are underway, but many remain displaced with limited access to aid.
- Authorities fear an outbreak of waterborne diseases as floodwaters submerge communities.
The dam collapse in Maiduguri, Nigeria has led to the partial submerged of houses. This unfortunate event happened on September 10, 2024.
The dam’s collapse has led to severe flooding, destroying many homes and causing unrest in the state. The state governor made a report on Wednesday, 11th of September, 2024 that the flood has affected millions of people. The government has taken action to rescue residents and provide temporary accommodation for them.
A very heavy rain caused the dam to overflow on Tuesday, destroying a zoo owned by the state and also washing away crocodiles and snakes into flooded regions.
An Al Jazeera reporter, Ahmed Idris said a “stream of people” are currently making their way out of areas covered by the floodwaters.
He further mentioned that residents have been working so hard to save as many people as possible. “We’ve seen dead bodies arriving,” he said. He also added that baby twins were saved from the floodwaters and moved to safety.
Humanitarian response and challenges
Idris also reported that Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima paid a condolence visit to the people displaced by the flood. He made a promise to provide them basic needs like food, shelter and medicine.
The promise was not fulfilled as only a few supplies reached the people who were affected
According to a report by Ghana Web, the governor Babagana Zulum also visited the Bakassi camp on Wednesday and informed reporters that authorities have assessed the damage and discovered that a quarter of the state capital, Maiduguri had been flooded.
“You can see how water completely flooded the area, sewerages were completely flooded, that means waterborne diseases would be transmitted,” Zulum told reporters.
Rising flood deaths and ongoing crisis
The dam collapse has worsened the humanitarian crisis in Borno State. The state has been battling with terrorism started by the Boko Haram armed group.
The Bakassi camp which used to be a source of refuge for thousands of people was shut down in 2023.
The National Emergency Management Agency made a report that 229 people have died as a result of floods in Nigeria since the beginning of the year. This issue of flooding in Nigeria is a dire one. Innocent people are the ones bearing the brunt of the situation. The government needs to do more than paying condolence visits to actually providing workable solution to the problems.
