Death toll from flooding rises to nearly 40 after dam burst in northeastern Nigeria

September 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The death toll from flooding in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in the north-east, has risen to 37, authorities have confirmed. A dam burst following the heavy rains in the area in recent days after a dam collapsed.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has also estimated that around 60 people have been injured and that more than 414,000 have been affected, while the UN humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, has warned of the impact on hospitals, schools and markets.

Fall noted that the flooding has also caused damage to critical infrastructure, including bridges, and said evacuations are still underway amid concerns about the risk of disease outbreaks in affected areas.

The dam burst days after several residents in the area warned that it was at its maximum capacity due to the heavy rains in the area, a situation that has also left nearly a million people homeless. The governor of Borno, Babagana Zulum, has acknowledged that the situation “is very devastating” and has promised to provide aid to those affected.