Over 100 communities in Niger State have been submerged as River Niger overflows (Photos)

Over 100 communities in Niger State have been submerged following the overflow of the River Niger. Farms and houses have also been destroyed, leaving residents of the affected communities homeless.  

Although there are no reports of casualties, the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, has visited the communities with other members of the state executive to find ways of relocating the residents.

This comes weeks after the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) issued a flood alert for seven states Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, and Bayelsa on the floodplains of River Niger.  

The agency also warned that the steady rise in water levels and weather forecast in the coming weeks have put Nigeria at risk of witnessing a recurrence of catastrophic flooding similar to what it witnessed in 2012. It, therefore, called on 12 states to be on alert with Edo, Taraba, Benue, Adamawa, and Rivers states joining the seven states previously put on alert.