Lagos: Almost all people died after a boat capsized in floodwaters in Nigeria’s Anambra state, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday.
An estimated 85 people were carrying an overloaded boat on Friday when it capsized due to flooding in the Niger River.
“Emergency services have confirmed the death toll of 76 after a boat reportedly carrying 85 people capsized after rising floods in Ogbaro area of ​​the state,” Buhari’s office quoted him as saying.
He directed the emergency services to provide relief to the victims.
“I pray for the repose of the souls of the dead and the safety of all, as well as the well-being of the families of the victims of this tragic accident,” he added.
Earlier on Sunday, emergency services said rising water levels were hampering rescue efforts.
“The water level is too high and too dangerous for a smooth search and rescue operation,” National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) southeast coordinator Thickman Tanimo told.
He said the flooding was the worst the country had seen in years, with water levels nearly a tenth higher than a decade ago.
NEMA requested the Nigerian Air Force to provide helicopters for the relief operation.
Anambra State Governor Charles Solodu urged residents of the flood-hit areas to evacuate, adding that the government would provide assistance to those affected by the calamity.
“This development is still a shock to the government and good people of Anambra State. I sympathize with the families of those involved,” Solodu said in a statement.
Boat accidents occur regularly in Nigeria due to overloading, speeding, poor maintenance and disregard for navigation rules.
Since the onset of the rainy season, many areas of the West African country of more than 200 million people have been ravaged by floods.
More than 300 people have been killed and at least 100,000 displaced, according to emergency services.
Incessant rains have washed away fields and crops, raising fears of food shortages, famine and hunger in a country already struggling with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
