Nigeria races to assist flood victims; death toll tops 600

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Officials in Nigeria say the death toll from this year’s flooding has risen to 603. Authorities have called the floods the country’s worst in more than a decade, blaming the disaster on unusually heavy rainfall and the release of excess water from the Lagdo dam in neighboring Cameroon. More than 1.3 million people have been displaced by the disaster, according to Nigeria’s humanitarian affairs minister. Sadiya Umar Farouq is warning that five states are still at risk of experiencing floods up until the end of November. At least 340,000 hectares of land also have been affected, worsening fears of food supply disruptions.