Boat Capsizes in Nigeria and Kills 76

Extreme Floods in Nigeria Leads to Displacement and Boating Disasters (Source:Wikimedia  Commons)

At least 76 people have officially been declared dead after a boat capsized off the coast of Anambra, in southeastern Nigeria, on October 10, 2022. Due to extreme flooding in the region, the deceased were among a group of mainly women and children who were trying to reach safe, dry land after their communities had been flooded.

Much of the major flooding in Anambra has affected at least half a million lives as crops are washed away, homes are destroyed, and roads are no longer drivable. There are also concerns about the spread of disease due to the flooding and the slow delivery and ability to get food and fuel. Because of the flooding on major roads, in particular, the primary access point between Anambra’s 8 main communities was destroyed. In order to travel, residents are now using boats to get around the area.

As many tried to figure out what went wrong with the vessel, it became clear that the engine failed which allowed the boat to become easily overpowered by waves. The boat was designed to hold up to 100 people, but the 85 passengers aboard apparently were too much weight for the boat to handle. 

Some experts blame the excess of floods in Nigeria on climate change and other geographic and environmental factors. The heavy rains and floods have been traced back to dams that have overflowed in Nigeria and neighboring Cameroon. Additionally, poor infrastructure and city planning are causes of the environmental disasters that the floods and heavy rains are causing. 

Furthermore, the flooding crisis is plaguing the entire country of Nigeria, not just the Anambra region. As of Sunday (10/16/2022), the Nigerian Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has stated that 603 people have died, 2,407 have been injured, and another 1.3 million people have been replaced.