NIGERIA: “Over 40 percent of our city is under water”
Bishops have described the crisis in Maiduguri, where 200,000 are displaced after an act of God plunged its streets under water.
Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) received messages from Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme of Maiduguri and his auxiliary describing the disaster that has hit the northern Nigerian city.
Floods in Maiduguri (Borno State Geographic Information Services).
In a brief message to the charity Bishop Dashe Doeme wrote: “No life lost in the cathedral. No property destroyed. But our lay faithful are badly affected.”
Bishop John Bakeni, Auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri, gave more details, saying “over 40 percent of the city is under water”.
He told ACN: “A good number of our parishes and our parishioners have been affected by this devastating flood.
“In the city, over a million people have been affected, and over 200 thousand families have been displaced.
“We are still carrying out our assessment, but three or four parishes of ours have been affected, and over 20 thousand parishioners have been affected.”
Most parishioners from flooded areas are now living in host communities.
This morning (13th September), Borno State Emergency Management Agency announced that it had rescued more than 3,600 people trapped in their homes.
Swathes of the city remain covered with water – which in many places is still knee high – after Alau Dam, about 6 miles (1.6 km) upstream from Maiduguri, collapsed following torrential rains. Reports state that floodwaters have now started to recede in a few areas.
Heavy rainfall also caused flooding in the south of the diocese, and Bishop Bakeni told ACN that St Pius IX parish in Shuwa, about 80 miles (130 km) south of Maiduguri, was badly hit with parishioners there also needing assistance.
Above video of Maiduguri Cathedral during the current crisis.
From 2009 onwards Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, suffered attacks from jihadist group Boko Haram/Islamic State: West Africa Province.
Their activity declined following infighting, but the extremists are still active in the region.
ACN provided ongoing emergency and pastoral help across Maiduguri Diocese in response to the jihadist insurgency.
As soon as the latest crisis hit, the charity announced it would be helping the diocese to provide food, sanitation, medicine and shelter.
Bishop Dashe Doeme said: “Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for your prayers for us in Maiduguri city which has been ravaged by heavy floods these few days.
“Keep on praying for us. For sure with Mary our mother on our side, we shall come out of this experience gloriously.” Adding “God bless you all.”