MOKWA (NIGER STATE) — The death toll from the devastating floods that swept through Mokwa town last week has risen to 153, following the discovery of more bodies under a collapsed bridge, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) said that the total number of people affected has now climbed to 3,018, spread across 503 households. Eleven people were injured, while three bridges were destroyed.

Ibrahim Hussaini, NSEMA’s acting Director General, said that additional bodies recovered on Saturday night were buried the next morning. 

“We are still searching. Entire families are missing, and some bodies are likely buried under rubble,” he said.

The floods, caused by torrential rains between Wednesday night and Thursday, displaced thousands in the local government area. 

Rescue teams are using excavators to reach affected zones, but many roads remain submerged.

Nearby communities such as Ndayako and Raba also reported severe damage. While no deaths were recorded there, dozens of houses were destroyed and another bridge was lost.

Adamu, head of the Red Cross team in Mokwa, said search efforts are ongoing. “We can’t stop while families are still crying out,” he said. “Some bodies might have been carried away to farmland areas near Jebba.”

The disaster has drawn national attention, with President Bola Tinubu directing security agencies to support emergency operations.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had warned of flash floods in 15 states, including Niger, during the same period. 

In 2024 alone, flooding has claimed at least 321 lives across 34 states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

A particularly tragic aspect of the Mokwa incident was the collapse of a mosque that had sheltered travellers during the rains. Authorities said the identities and number of the travellers remain unknown.

In total, NSEMA reported 153 deaths, 265 homes destroyed, and two major bridges washed away.

Mohammed Tanko, 29, a civil servant, stood near the rubble of his family home. “We lost at least 15 people here. Everything is gone,” he said.

Residents like 50-year-old Sabuwar Bala shared harrowing survival stories. “I escaped with only my underwear. Someone gave me these clothes. I lost everything, even my slippers,” she said.

NEMA, in a statement, warned that the disaster should serve as a reminder of the consequences of building on waterways and neglecting drainage infrastructure.

As the rainy season intensifies, officials warn of more floods in the months ahead, fuelled by poor planning and worsening climate conditions.