Guwahati: As many as 76 people lost their lives after a boat carrying 85 passengers sank on a river in Nigeria’s Anambra State.
When their town was submerged by floodwater, the majority of the victims were women and children who were attempting to flee to safety.
The relatives of the dead in the “tragic” disaster received condolence messages from Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari’s office quoted him as saying, “The boat reportedly carrying 85 persons capsized following rising floods in Ogbaru area of the state, with emergency services confirming a death toll of 76.”
He directed the emergency services to provide relief to the victims.
“I pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for everyone’s safety, as well as the well-being of the family members of the victims of this tragic accident,” he added.
The emergency services reported that the rising water level was impeding rescue operations on Sunday morning.
The nation of more than 200 million people in West Africa has seen widespread flooding since the beginning of the rainy season.