Nigeria: Boat On Flood-Swollen River Capsizes, 76 Of 85 People On Board Die

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As many as 76 out of 85 people who were on board a boat when it capsized in a flood-swollen river in Nigeria&rsquo;s Anambra state, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday, reported news agency Agence France-Presse. An estimated 85 people were taking the overloaded boat on Friday when flooding of the Nigeria river caused it to tip over.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The boat reportedly carrying 85 persons capsized following rising floods in Ogbaru area of the state, with emergency services confirming a total death count of 76," Buhari's office quoted him as saying, reported the news agency.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the incident, President Buhari directed the emergency services to provide relief to the victims.&nbsp;</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> 76 people have died in southeast Nigeria's Anambra state, after their overloaded boat capsized on Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari announced <a href="https://t.co/cV7vqMJsDY">pic.twitter.com/cV7vqMJsDY</a></p> &mdash; AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1579230274122285057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <p> <script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I pray for the repose of the souls of the victims and for everyone's safety, as well as the well-being of the family members of the victims of this tragic accident," he added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The emergency services had on Sunday said that the rising water level was hampering rescue efforts.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The water level is very high and too risky for a smooth search and rescue operation," Thickman Tanimu, the southeast coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told the news agency.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tanimu said that the flooding was the worst the country has seen in many years, with the water-level being one-tenth higher than a decade ago.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a title="Weather Update: Will Delhi-NCR Witness Rain Today? Know Which States Are Likely To Receive Showers" href="https://ift.tt/2g5Tvti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Weather Update: Will Delhi-NCR Witness Rain Today? Know Which States Are Likely To Receive Showers</a></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NEMA requested the Nigerian Air Force provide helicopters for the rescue operation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anambra state governor Charles Soludo urged residents of flood-ravaged areas to relocate, while adding that the government would provide relief to those affected by the disaster.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"This development is still a shock to the government and good people of Anambra State. I sympathise with the families of people involved," Soludo said in a statement.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As per the report, boat accidents are a frequent occurrence in this African country because of overloading, speeding, poor maintenance, and disregarding navigation rules.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a title="World Mental Health Day: One Billion People Worldwide Are Living With A Mental Health Condition, Lancet Report Says" href="https://ift.tt/CVnwzaG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Mental Health Day: One Billion People Worldwide Are Living With A Mental Health Condition, Lancet Report Says</a></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since the onset of monsoon, many regions of the Western African nation with a population of over 200 million people have been devastated by floods.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More than 300 people have been killed and at least 100,000 made homeless, according to the emergency services.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The continuous rain has washed away farmland and crops, sparking fears of food shortages, famine and hunger in a country already struggling with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.</span></p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/nigeria-boat-on-flood-swollen-river-capsizes-76-of-85-people-on-board-die-1557400