Children Still Trapped in Their Homes as Worst Floods in 30 Years Devastate Northeast Nigeria

MAIDUGURI, (SEPTEMBER 13, 2024) – Heavy rains in Borno state, Northeast Nigeria, have led to the worst flooding in 30 years, affecting at least 239,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands of children without shelter, clean water, food, healthcare and education, at heightened risk of water-and vector-borne diseases.

Chachu Tadicha, Deputy Director, Program Operations/Humanitarian at Save the Children in Nigeria, is currently in flood-affected areas in Maiduguri.

He said: “The situation here is terrible. Children and families are still trapped in their houses, and efforts are being made to rescue them. Half of the town has been submerged, and the roads are not passable.

“Two main hospitals are flooded, and stabilization centers have been forced to suspend operations, just as the immense damage to water and sanitation services is driving up the risk of cholera and other water- and vector-borne diseases. Schools have been suspended for two weeks – just as children were going back into learning after the holiday.

“We are working hard to deliver food assistance and other critical supplies to camps where people are sheltering, but the needs here are absolutely huge and children and families here desperately need donors and the government to urgently ramp up support so that we can co-ordinate a proper response that meets the needs of children and families who have lost everything.”

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Save the Children is currently conducting a needs assessment in the flood-affected area and plans to respond with cash assistance, health and nutrition outreach services, rehabilitation of sanitation facilities, and conduct hygiene promotion and community awareness raising, as well as child protection and mental health support to children and caregivers