New Delhi: India sent 15 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Nigeria on Thursday to assist the west African country in dealing with the impact of devastating floods that left hundreds of people dead.
In addition to this, India also announced another 60 tonnes of assistance to the African nation.
Taking to X, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “Committed to Humanitarian Assistance. India dispatched 15 tonnes of aid to Nigeria to provide support to those affected by the devastating floods in the country. A further assistance of 60 tonnes of aid will be sent in due course.”
“The aid comprises food, sleeping mats, blankets, water purification supplies and other relief items,” the MEA post added.
At least 321 people have been killed and over 740,000 others displaced in Nigeria so far this year due to the floods that ravaged most parts of the country.
In addition, some 2,854 people have been injured in the flooding, caused mainly by prolonged rainfall across the most populous African country, said Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of the southeastern state of Anambra, after a monthly National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“The country is facing a national emergency concerning flooding and the reports so far identify a major national disaster,” as the rains have led to widespread displacement, loss of lives, and destruction of homes and livelihoods, Soludo had said, citing briefings at the Economic Council meeting.
The senior official had also mentioned that 34 out of Nigeria’s 36 states have experienced flooding, and 217 out 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 cultivated farmlands.
Additionally, the UN agencies appealed for lifesaving support in Nigeria, where record inflation, climate shocks, and ongoing conflicts are projected to push the number of food-insecure people to 33 million in 2025.
–IANS