Nigeria's Deadly Floods Displace Thousands Amid Peak Season

At least 49 people have died, and over 41,344 have been displaced due to severe flooding in northeast Nigeria. States like Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba are heavily impacted. The flooding has also damaged 693 hectares of farmland, exacerbating existing issues in the agricultural sector and contributing to Nigeria's double-digit inflation.

At least 49 people have lost their lives and thousands have been displaced in Nigeria's northeast due to severe flooding caused by heavy rains, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) reported on Monday.

The northeastern states of Jigawa, Adamawa, and Taraba have been the worst affected, with NEMA spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel stating that 41,344 people have been displaced. The floods have ravaged farmlands, destroying 693 hectares of agricultural land at a time when Nigeria is already facing high food prices and double-digit inflation.

"We are just entering into the peak of the season, particularly in the northern part of the country, and the situation is very dire," Ezekiel told Reuters. The government has warned that 31 of Nigeria's 36 states risk experiencing severe flooding this year, largely due to high tides upstream in the River Niger.

(With inputs from agencies.)