Children die in building collapse after Nigeria flooding

• Children die in building collapse after Nigeria flooding
• At least 179 people have died due to recent flooding, tens of thousands displaced
• Floods have washed away approximately 107,000 hectares of farmland
• Fears of food security amid an economic crisis

Children die in building collapse after Nigeria flooding

Two children have died in north-western Nigeria after a building collapse, further adding to the toll of lives lost in weeks of severe flooding, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema). The incident occurred in Katsina, one of the seven north-western states severely affected by the floods. A third child sustained injuries from the collapse.

Nema reported that at least 179 people have died across Nigeria due to the flooding, with tens of thousands more displaced from their homes. The office of President Bola Tinubu expressed deep sorrow over the widespread devastation caused by the floods, which have impacted communities and farmlands nationwide. The president highlighted the urgency of addressing environmental challenges and creating a more climate-resilient society.

The floods have washed away approximately 107,000 hectares of farmland, raising concerns about food security as Nigerians face rising food prices amid an economic crisis marked by double-digit inflation and foreign currency shortages.

Many of those displaced by the floods had already been forced from their homes in the north-west due to militant attacks, according to Nema and the UN’s refugee agency. The UN described the floods as a “devastating” event causing significant “death and destruction.” This disaster comes after Nigeria’s worst flooding in over a decade last year, which resulted in more than 600 deaths and displaced around 1.3 million people.