No less than 21 bodies were recovered on Thursday, while scores were declared missing following a midnight flood that brought about by heavy rainfall in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
Sources revealed that 50 residential houses were submerged in the flood, which caught residents unawares, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of properties.
It was gathered that Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa in Mokwa town were the most affected by the torrential rainfall.
Additionally, private cars, commercial vehicles, and trucks were also trapped by the devastating flood.
Those affected were caught in a struggle as they tried to make their way through the flood, as no rescue efforts had begun.
Among the 21 corpses recovered were those of a woman and her two children. Another woman who was injured with her children was being treated as of Thursday at Mokwa General Hospital.
The disaster was confirmed by the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, who said, “There was a torrential downpour of very high intensity that lasted several hours, and the surging floodwaters submerged and washed away over 50 residential houses with their occupants.
“In response, the agency, in collaboration with the Mokwa Local Government Authority, local divers, and brave volunteers, is conducting search and rescue operations to recover survivors and bodies.
“At present, three survivors, a woman and her two children, are receiving treatment for wounds and shock at Mokwa General Hospital.
“Twenty-one bodies have, so far, been recovered, while search and rescue operations are ongoing.”