Nigeria was hit last week by the worst flooding in ten years. The number of people killed has been provisionally set at 603. More than 2,400 people were injured and at least 1.3 million people had to flee their homes. The Nigerian Minister of Humanitarian Affairs announced this on Twitter on Sunday evening.
27 of the 36 Nigerian states have been affected by the floods, caused by a rainy season that is much rainier than usual. It has rained more than usual in Nigeria since the beginning of the summer. The release of water from the Lagdo dam in neighboring Cameroon aggravates the problems.
About 108,000 hectares of agricultural land have been largely destroyed. As a result, the floods could affect food prices in the country, rice producers have warned. Rice imports are banned in Nigeria to stimulate local production.
The United Nations World Food Program said last month that Nigeria is one of six countries at high risk of catastrophic famine. More floods are expected in the coming weeks, the minister of humanitarian affairs warned.
