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ABUJA SUBMERGED:‘We have not seen anything like this before’
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Disasters & Emergencies

ABUJA SUBMERGED:‘We have not seen anything like this before’

From Vanguard · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Abuja, Nigeria's capital, experienced unprecedented flooding following intense rainfall, submerging affluent areas like Asokoro and Maitama.
  • Residents described the event as unlike anything seen before, with floodwaters rising rapidly and causing significant damage to homes and vehicles.
  • The scale of the flooding has disrupted daily life and caused extensive property damage, leaving a lasting impact on the city.

Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, was hit by a devastating flood of unprecedented scale last Tuesday night, leaving residents in shock and grappling with extensive damage. What began as a trickle of rain quickly escalated into a deluge, transforming streets into rivers and submerging prime neighborhoods including Asokoro, Maitama, Guzape, Lokogoma, Garki, and Wuse.

We have not seen anything like this before

— ResidentsDescribing the unprecedented nature of the flooding in Abuja.

Residents recounted scenes of chaos and disbelief as floodwaters surged into their homes with alarming speed. Mallam Umar Abdullahi, residing in a security house in Asokoro, described being forced from his bed by his daughter's screams as water breached the compound and pushed under doors. Similarly, Mr. Emmanuel Okoro, a long-time Asokoro resident, pointed to a brown line on his wall, marking the highest water level he had ever witnessed in his 14 years in the city, which inundated his boys' quarters and ruined possessions.

Mummy, water is coming in.

— Mallam Umar Abdullahi's daughterSignaling the sudden and rapid inundation of their home.

The floodwaters showed no regard for the city's status, breaching gates, toppling fences of large buildings, and submerging vehicles. A government official's SUV was found stuck halfway up a road, its driver having mistaken the depth of the water. In Maitama, the damage extended beyond property, disrupting the affluent district. Zainab, a bank worker, described moving her mother and children upstairs as the kitchen filled with water, leaving behind a lingering smell of mud, diesel, and sewage.

This is the first time since I came to Abuja over a decade ago that I’m experiencing this.

— Nasir TankoExpressing shock at the severity of the flood in a previously unaffected area.

"We have never seen this before," echoed many residents, including Nasir Tanko, who has lived in Abuja for over a decade. The event marked a significant shift, as the flooding reached areas previously unaffected, impacting the capital's most prestigious districts. The aftermath has left the city reeling, with the immediate focus on recovery and understanding the magnitude of this extraordinary event.

14 years... water has never come this high.

— Mr. Emmanuel OkoroIndicating the historical significance of the floodwaters' level in Asokoro.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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