As many as 76 out of 85 people who were on board a boat when it capsized in a flood-swollen river in Nigeria’s Anambra state, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Sunday, reported news agency Agence France-Presse. An estimated 85 people were taking the overloaded boat on Friday when flooding of the Nigeria river caused it to tip over.
"The boat reportedly carrying 85 persons capsized following rising floods in Ogbaru area of the state, with emergency services confirming a total death count of 76," Buhari's office quoted him as saying, reported the news agency.
Following the incident, President Buhari directed the emergency services to provide relief to the victims.
"I pray for the repose of the souls of the victims and for everyone's safety, as well as the well-being of the family members of the victims of this tragic accident," he added.
The emergency services had on Sunday said that the rising water level was hampering rescue efforts.
"The water level is very high and too risky for a smooth search and rescue operation," Thickman Tanimu, the southeast coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told the news agency.
Tanimu said that the flooding was the worst the country has seen in many years, with the water-level being one-tenth higher than a decade ago.
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NEMA requested the Nigerian Air Force provide helicopters for the rescue operation.
Anambra state governor Charles Soludo urged residents of flood-ravaged areas to relocate, while adding that the government would provide relief to those affected by the disaster.
"This development is still a shock to the government and good people of Anambra State. I sympathise with the families of people involved," Soludo said in a statement.
As per the report, boat accidents are a frequent occurrence in this African country because of overloading, speeding, poor maintenance, and disregarding navigation rules.
Since the onset of monsoon, many regions of the Western African nation with a population of over 200 million people have been devastated by floods.
More than 300 people have been killed and at least 100,000 made homeless, according to the emergency services.
The continuous rain has washed away farmland and crops, sparking fears of food shortages, famine and hunger in a country already struggling with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.