Adamu Yusuf’s life has been profoundly impacted following the tragic loss of nine family members due to devastating floods in Tiffin Maza, a badly-hit area in north-central Nigeria. The 36-year-old father recounted how his wife and newborn baby were swept away by the floodwaters early Thursday morning in Niger state.
“She was the one that woke me up when the flood hit, and I quickly gathered the family and told everyone to hold one another. As we stepped outside, we saw water everywhere in our living room and the compound. They panicked, and we got separated,” Mr. Adamu shared, expressing the harrowing moment of chaos.
Just a day after returning to Mokwa from her family’s home, his wife and child were lost to the floods. “I watched helplessly as water washed away my family. I survived because I could swim. It was God that saved me,” he said mournfully.
Local authorities confirmed the death toll has tragically soared to over 200, with 500 others still missing. The Tiffin Maza community is engulfed in sorrow, marked by remnants of destroyed homes, scattered belongings, and the overwhelming smell of despair as they search for the missing.
Nineteen-year-old Isa Muhammed grieves the loss of his beloved teacher who, along with eight family members, was caught in the flood. “Tears always roll down my cheeks when I think of my uncle who took care of me after my father’s passing,” he lamented.
As the waters recede, residents gather to grieve together and support search efforts, hoping to honor those lost amidst heartbreaking circumstances. “I have never seen floods like this before, but I am grateful my family survived,” said 65-year-old Ramat Sulaiman, recounting her own devastation. The community remains in a collective struggle to recover from this tragedy.
Source: www.bbc.com
