New Delhi: More than 600 people have died in Nigeria’s worst floods in a decade, according to a new figure released yesterday. A statement issued by Nigeria’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs on Twitter said the devastation had forced more than 1.3 million people to leave their homes.

“Unfortunately, as of October 16, 2022, more than 603 people have lost their lives. The minister said that the death toll before last week was 500, but some state governments were not prepared to face the floods, due to which the death toll has increased.

Omar Farooq said the floods have completely destroyed more than 82,000 houses and about 110,000 hectares (272,000 acres) of cultivable land.

While the rainy season usually begins around June, the rainfall after August was partly very heavy. The National Emergency Management Agency said floods in 2012 killed 363 people and left more than 2.1 million homeless.

Sub-Saharan Africa is vaguely affected by climate change and many of its economies are already grappling with the impact of the Russo-Ukraine war. Rice growers have warned that devastating floods could affect nearly 200 million people in the country, where rice imports have been banned to boost local production.

The World Food Programme and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said last month that Nigeria was one of six countries facing a high risk of devastating levels of hunger.

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