UAE expresses solidarity with Nigeria after floods

The United Arab Emirates has expressed its solidarity with Nigeria following floods that submerged the town of Mokwa in Niger State, in the north of the country, resulting in dozens of deaths and substantial damage to property.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Nigeria over this tragedy.

Search teams fanned out several kilometres from the epicentre of deadly flash flooding on Saturday, the Red Cross said, as the death toll from heavy rains topped 150.

The sharp rise in the toll came as bodies were recovered nearly 10 km away from the town, where more than 250 buildings were levelled and two bridges were swept away, Ibrahim Audu Husseini, a spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said.

People salvage their belongings in a flooded area. AP

Husseini warned the toll could rise further, with bodies being swept down the powerful Niger River.

Gideon Adamu, head of the Red Cross in Niger state, said search teams were heading toward Jebba, on the opposite side of the waterway’s swampy banks.

Mokwa was hit by torrential rains on Wednesday night into Thursday, with the flooding displacing more than 3,000, Husseini said.

WAM/ Agencies