NEMA: 259 dead, 625,239 displaced by flood in six months

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says 259 persons have lost their lives to floods across Nigeria from April to September 2024. 

Zubaida Umar, director-general of NEMA, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the national emergency coordination forum (ECF).

Umar noted that 625,239 persons had been displaced, 1,048,312 persons have been severely affected, with 29 states and 172 LGAs ravaged by floods within the period.

The NEMA DG commiserated with those affected and assured that the federal government would provide them with the necessary support.

She explained that the purpose of the meeting was to receive updates on the flood situation and assign responsibilities to stakeholders.

Umar noted that although flooding could not be totally prevented, efforts were being made to mitigate its impact.

“NEMA has activated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in some states and deployed additional staff to support search and rescue operations,” Umar said.

“The agency has also provided water purification equipment and critical search and rescue tools to affected states.”

The NEMA boss thanked international partners for their support and encouraged them to continue providing assistance.