As Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari announced on Aug. 31, more than 100,000 people have fled their homes because of major flooding in the central state of Benue. 

"I have received with great concern reports of the flooding in Benue state, displacing, from early estimates, more than 100,000 people," Buhari wrote on Twitter late on Thursday.

Buhari and his government have faced criticism in the media and online over a slow response to the flood.

The head of local NGO Community Links and Human Empowerment Initiative, Helen Teghtegh, said the region had been battered by heavy rains over the past two weeks with the level of the Benue river steadily rising. 

"We are still trying to get accurate data, we don't know the number of casualties, but we are having a meeting tomorrow with local groups and emergency services, so we should know better," said Teghtegh. 

Pictures of the horrific flood damage are being shared across social media via the #PrayForMakurdi hashtag.

Benue state, which is heavily reliant on its agricultural sector, has suffered repeated floods in recent years, caused by heavy rains and the opening of dams in neighboring Cameroon. Nigeria suffered a catastrophic flood back in 2010. Hundreds of people died, and some two million people were left homeless.

Many people are calling a real infrastructural problem here, and many Nigerians have to suffer because of it. To see so many people fall victim to the intensity of natural disasters is no joke. If you would like to help or want more information on helping, click here.

floodingnatural disasterNigeria