Torrential rains on Sunday triggered severe flooding across Plateau and Bauchi states, destroying homes, schools, and farmlands and displacing hundreds of residents.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the worst-hit community in Plateau State was Menkaat, located in the Shimankar District of Shendam Local Government Area.
There, over 50 houses were destroyed, including two primary schools and a place of worship, as heavy downpours combined with violent windstorms wreaked havoc.
Residents reported that the storm uprooted trees, downed electric poles, and ripped off roofs, rendering many families homeless overnight.
Mazawaje Daniel Danjuma, the local councillor for Shimankar, confirmed that farmlands were also devastated, adding that many people had lost virtually everything.
In Bauchi State, Dass Local Government Area also experienced massive destruction.
Over 40 households were displaced, and extensive farmlands were washed away, deepening fears of food insecurity in the region.
Adamu Nayola, Director of Relief and Rehabilitation at the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), noted that although no lives were lost, women and children urgently need relief materials and shelter.
He explained that a poorly constructed culvert in the area failed to handle the volume of rainwater, worsening the flooding.
Nayola confirmed that SEMA had launched assessment operations for relief distribution in the affected areas.
In Niger State, the flood also struck several communities.
Farmlands in Kafin Koro, Paikoro Local Government Area, were submerged by rising waters.
Lapai Local Government Area reported damage in at least 18 communities, including Dere, Apataku, Eshi, Tsakanabi, and Kuchi Kakanda.
Residents there fear more destruction if the heavy rainfall continues through August and September.
The Niger State government has since issued an emergency advisory, urging residents in riverine and low-lying areas to move to safer highlands.
Jonathan Vatsa, Special Adviser on Communication and Media to the Governor, stated that relocation was a matter of urgency and survival.
He cited the deadly June 11 flood in Mokwa, where over 200 lives were lost, as a grim reminder of what happens when flood warnings are ignored.
Vatsa noted that 15 of Niger’s 25 local government areas have already been flagged by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as high-risk flood zones this year.
The federal government has also issued red alerts for 11 states, warning of imminent flooding as the rainy season peaks.
The Federal Ministry of Environment’s Flood Early Warning Centre has identified Bauchi, Plateau, and Niger as states under immediate threat.
The latest destruction adds to a string of climate disasters across Nigeria in 2025.
Between March and July, over 250 people were killed, and thousands were displaced due to floods, windstorms, and rainstorms in states such as Kaduna, Sokoto, Taraba, Ogun, Ekiti, and Imo.
In June, the deadliest flood this year occurred in Mokwa, Niger State, where entire families were swept away by flash floods after riverbanks overflowed.
In Borno State, residents of Maiduguri also suffered massive displacement just last week as torrential rains flooded parts of the city, including Bulunkutu, Damboa Road, and Jiddari Polo.
Although there were no casualties in Maiduguri, many survivors are still traumatised by the memory of the deadly September 10, 2024, flood.
In Adamawa State, five lives were lost in late July during a flood that injured over 50 people in Yola North and Yola South.
The worst-hit locations there were Sabon Pegi, Yolde Pate, Modire, and Yola Bypass, where homes, roads, and farmlands were completely destroyed.
Climate experts warn that Nigeria’s vulnerability to flooding is increasing due to poor infrastructure, unregulated urbanisation, and delayed government response.
During the April launch of the 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, named dozens of flood-prone states, urging immediate action.
He said the government was committed to reducing disaster risks through early warning and improved drainage systems.
Nevertheless, many state-level responses have been reactive rather than preventive, as seen in this latest episode of destruction.
Residents across affected areas are now calling for food, shelter, medical supplies, and long-term government intervention.
Environmental advocates say climate resilience and disaster preparedness must become national priorities, especially in vulnerable rural communities.
Experts are also calling for coordinated relief efforts, international support, and investment in climate-smart agriculture to avoid recurring losses in Nigeria’s food-producing regions.
As the rains continue, citizens are urged to remain vigilant and relocate where possible to avoid further tragedies.
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