At least 111 people have died in a market town in northern Nigeria after torrential rains caused severe flooding. Officials anticipate the death toll will rise. The town of Mokwa, in Niger state, is a key trading hub for agricultural goods.

The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency has not yet released rainfall figures for the event, which occurred after midnight Thursday. Mokwa is located more than 180 miles west of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

Northern Nigerian communities have been struggling with longer dry periods, intensified by climate change, alongside increasingly heavy rainfall leading to intense flooding during the rainy season.

Social media posts show extensive flooding, with homes submerged and residents wading through waist-deep water to rescue belongings and people.

“We have lost lives, property, and our stored farm produce,” said Kazeem Muhammed, a Mokwa resident.

According to IIbrahim Audu Husseini, a spokesman for the Niger state emergency agency, the confirmed death toll stands at 111, but more bodies have been recovered and are awaiting counting.

Mokwa, situated approximately 236 miles west of Abuja, serves as a vital trading center where southern traders purchase goods like beans and onions from northern farmers.

Aliki Musa, a community leader in Mokwa, noted that the villagers are unaccustomed to such severe flooding. He described the flooding as an infrequent event, comparing it to “spiritual water” that may only occur once every twenty years.

Jibril Muregi, chairman of the Mokwa local government area, emphasized the urgent need for flood-control infrastructure in comments to local news website Premium Times.

“This infrastructure is crucial for reducing future flood risks and protecting lives and property,” he stated.

In September, heavy rains and a dam collapse in Maiduguri, in northeastern Nigeria, led to severe flooding. At least 30 people died, and millions were displaced, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis caused by the Boko Haram insurgency.