[Conseil œcuménique des Églises] Religious leaders in northeastern Nigeria have appealed for humanitarian aid after thousands of people were displaced by floods in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. Widespread flooding hit the city on September 9 and worsened in the following days.
The flood crisis began after excessive rainfall caused the spillways of the Alau Dam, a water reservoir located about 12 kilometres from the city, to collapse. This in turn triggered a massive rush of water that swept into community areas downstream.
According to church officials, the floods have submerged nearly 40 percent of the city of Maiduguri and displaced more than 400,000 people. An estimated one million people are affected in the city.
