STORY: At least 321 people killed in nationwide flooding in Nigeria
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 31, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 2, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:33
LOCATION: Abuja
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the aerial view of the flooded city in Maiduguri
2. various of meetings at the council chambers in Nigeria
3. SOUNDBITE: (English): CHUKWUMA SOLUDO, Governor of the southeastern state of Anambra in Nigeria

STORYLINE:

At least 321 people have been killed and over 740,000 others displaced in Nigeria so far this year due to flooding that ravaged most parts of the country, authorities said Thursday.

Some 2,854 people have been injured in the floods, which were caused mainly by prolonged rainfall across the most populous African country, Chukwuma Soludo, governor of the southeastern state of Anambra, told reporters in Abuja after a monthly National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

SOUNDBITE: (English): CHUKWUMA SOLUDO, Governor of the southeastern state of Anambra in Nigeria
"As we know, the country is facing a national emergency regarding flooding, and the reports so far indicate that it's been a quite major national disaster. There was serious emphasis on the need for a massive program of dredging of the waterways. The council also urged the state governments that have not submitted their reports on the status of the flood and management in their states to do so immediately."

The senior official said that 34 of Nigeria's 36 states have experienced flooding, and that 217 of the 774 local government areas in the country have been affected. The ravaging flood has displaced at least 740,743 people and destroyed or affected 281,000 houses and 258,000 farms.

To mitigate the impacts of flooding, the Economic Council, which statutorily consists of the vice president and all 36 state governors, has directed a comprehensive integrity review of the state of local waterways and dams.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Abuja.
(XHTV)