Floods kill at least 25 people, sweep five towns in northeastern Nigeria

Parts of northeastern Nigeria have been submerged after heavy downpours that tore through communities in Adamawa State. The rains started on Sunday and hit five towns around Yola, sweeping away homes, farmlands, and entire livelihoods in just hours.

25 people have been confirmed dead, and 11 are missing. More than 5,500 people have been displaced by the floods. Authorities have set up a temporary camp for those affected and are distributing food, clean water, and basic shelter to help families get through the immediate aftermath.

Flooding during Nigeria’s rainy season is not unusual, but in recent years it has become far more severe. Experts link this shift to climate change, which has caused long dry spells to be followed by sudden, intense rainfall—often more than the land and drainage systems can handle.

Back in May, similar torrential rains devastated Mokwa, a farming village in Niger State, where more than 200 people lost their lives. According to the UN, over four million people across West Africa were affected by flooding last year—three times the number recorded the year before.

With the rains far from over, aid groups are urging the government to step up emergency planning and invest in long-term infrastructure to shield vulnerable communities from disasters like this.