Dam Collapse in Northeastern Nigeria Triggers Severe Flooding, Zoo Reptiles Escape

ABUJA, Nigeria — A catastrophic dam collapse in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State on Tuesday has unleashed severe flooding, prompting mass evacuations and sending deadly reptiles from a local zoo into nearby communities.

The Alau dam, located near the state capital Maiduguri, failed under the pressure of unusually high rainfall, resulting in one of the worst flood events in the region in three decades. The dam, which was already at full capacity due to heavy rains, could not withstand the additional strain.

Local officials reported that approximately 15% of Maiduguri was submerged under water as a result of the dam’s collapse. As of now, there have been no confirmed reports of fatalities, though the extent of the damage remains under assessment.

The flooding has also had devastating effects on the Borno State Museum Park, where the rising waters have led to the death of around 80% of the zoo’s animals. The zoo’s general manager, Ali Abatcha Don Best, confirmed that numerous reptiles, including crocodiles and snakes, have escaped their enclosures due to the flooding.

“Some of these deadly animals have been washed away into our communities,” Don Best said. “This poses a significant risk to residents in the area.”

In response to the crisis, local authorities have issued a flooding alert and ordered immediate evacuations for residents living near riverbanks. Schools across the state will be closed for the next two weeks as a precautionary measure, according to Borno’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar.

The dam collapse has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in Borno, which has been plagued by the insurgency of Boko Haram over the past decade. The extremist group, which has caused widespread violence and displacement in the region, has left more than 35,000 people dead and displaced approximately 2.6 million individuals.

Boko Haram, with affiliations to the Islamic State group, aims to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria, dividing the nation almost equally between a predominantly Muslim north and a mainly Christian south.

The region has seen continued violence, including a recent attack earlier this year that killed at least 18 people in coordinated suicide bombings targeting a wedding, a funeral, and a hospital.

The collapse of the Alau dam adds a new layer of complexity to the ongoing crisis in Borno, further straining resources and heightening the urgency for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.