Abuja — "The severity of this flood has far exceeded what the government and all of us estimated, marking it the most catastrophic flood in Maiduguri in over three decades," says a report sent to Fides by the diocese of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, in north-eastern Nigeria, affected by floods caused by the collapse of the Alau dam (see Fides, 13/9/2024).

"The flood's unprecedented scale has presented challenges beyond our previous experiences as more than half of the city is under water. Many lives have been lost and properties worth billions of naira, including livelihoods have been lost too," the report said, adding that more than one million people have been affected by the floods, of whom 410,000 have been displaced. "The flood, which began over the weekend and worsened in the following days, was the direct result of excess water from the Alau Dam. The collapse of the spillways unleashed a significant surge of water downstream, causing widespread flooding in the surrounding communities. Efforts are ongoing by government and relevant agencies to evacuate and resettle residents in the affected areas, while efforts are also on the way to ensure the provision of food, shelter, and medical assistance, but the situation is overwhelming. Displaced persons camps that were officially closed by the government have been re-opened to accommodate people who lost their homes in the floods." "As for the Catholic Church, the Diocesan Secretariat and St. Patrick's Cathedral are all flooded. The following Parishes were also affected badly, St. John Custom, St. Michael Railway, and St Augustine Gwange. Although we are still carrying out the assessment of the disaster, we are estimating over 20,000 Catholics, were affected. "More than 40% of the city is still submerged in the waters. It is difficult to ascertain the extent of loss of lives and property. Measures are being put in place, data are also being collected for an accurate and detailed categorization of the losses." The report concludes with an appeal for solidarity: "May the Almighty God help us overcome this catastrophe and alleviate all our suffering. We ask for special prayers for the families and all those affected by the flood that God may give them strength and consolation. We also ask for financial support to enable the Diocese to support the flood victims. The most urgent needs are food, medical/hygiene assistance and temporary shelter."