Floods in Nigeria have killed at least 500 people since the summer, authorities in the African country said. In addition, about 90,000 homes have been flooded and the supply of food and fuel has come to a standstill.

According to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, 27 of Nigeria’s 36 states are affected by the floods. According to the authorities, a total of 1.4 million people are affected.

“The scale of this disaster is staggering,” said Mustapha Habib Ahmed of the Crisis Management Authority. Red Cross workers in Nigeria speak of the “worst floods in the country in decades”.

food shortage

The floods were caused by heavy rains. They increased in intensity after the Lagdo Dam in neighboring Cameroon opened to release excess water and relieve the dam. Water can flow from this dam to Nigeria via the Benue River.

The UN migration agency IOM warned last week that some areas in Nigeria could face long-term food insecurity if their farmland was hit by the floods. The organization provides relief items such as blankets, mattresses and floor mats.

Check out the differences between June and October in these two satellite photos:

Aside from floods, Nigeria is also facing a humanitarian crisis caused by armed conflicts in the areas around Lake Chad that separates Nigeria from Chad. More than 8 million people in nearby northeastern states are in need of more humanitarian assistance, IOM said.

Kidnappings and murders also occur regularly in Nigeria. Violence in the region has raised concerns as extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the West African branch of Islamic State gain ground.

Millions of Nigerians hit by deadliest floods in years: