Photo Essay (II): Vestiges of Buildings Destroyed by Maiduguri Flood
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For thousands affected by the recent flooding in Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, recovery is another long journey of pain and adversity. The devastating floods have taken a toll on the environment, as returning locals met their homes in shambles.
As residents begin the arduous task of recovery, they must roll up their sleeves to clean, clear, and restore their damaged homes, rebuilding their lives from the ground. For many residents, the painful aftermath lingers. Countless homes, once filled with laughter and memories, now lie in ruins. Belongings, livelihoods, and savings have been swept away, leaving families with little to no means to rebuild.
In the face of adversity, many communities have united to support each other. Volunteers have organised community service initiatives, tackling the daunting task of clearing dunes from flooded homes and streets. With shovels and determination, residents are working tirelessly to restore their neighbourhoods, fostering a sense of unity and solidarity.
HumAngle documents the recovery journey of residents left with no other option but to start their lives again.
Walls of houses and their neighbours are washed away, leaving the building naked.
A house was destroyed, leaving room frames.
A destroyed skills acquisition centre managed by the Borno State Agency for Mass Education in collaboration with UNICEF.
A man standing before the ruins of a building, recounting loss and bearing disturbing trauma.
This is a street in the Simari community. Even though floodwaters have receded in some areas, other roads and streets are not motorable.
Some homes turned to water logs, turning the premises unfavourable.
A house filled with flood water despite being protected with sandbags.
People risking their lives in cracked buildings. Some families told HumAngle they sleep on the verandas of their houses for fear of the building collapse.
The flooding uprooted and destroyed the whole tiling of this mosque in the Muna area. Community members took them out to be repurposed.
Carpets spread across a typical street of some communities that have already experienced receding floods in their places.
A resident of Shehuri community taking back her cooking pots after she washed them with clean water.
Drenched clothes spread under the sun.
A woman in Shehu’s area spraying clothes under the sun.
Babson is preparing to wash his family’s clothes, including his own, soaked by floodwaters. He said it stinks and smells terribly.
Relief surfaced as clean water source points have been restored after the flood waters receded in Dikwa Low Cost. Potable water scarcity was a major problem when communities were first hit.
Boys transporting their belongings back home.
People transport their belongings on foot because they cannot afford transportation fares.
Boys washing carpets and their family’s clothes.
Together with their animals, families rest after a tedious job of clearing waterlogs and cleaning their houses.
A boy scoops wet sand from a ditch.
Ajit clears their house, which is filled with sand dunes.
Friends working together, helping people to clear the sands packed before their shops and business places.
The recent flooding in Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, has left thousands of locals facing a long and painful journey towards recovery. Entire homes have been reduced to ruins, and families have lost their belongings, livelihoods, and savings. Despite the dire situation, communities are uniting, with volunteers organizing initiatives to clear and restore flooded homes and streets, fostering a sense of solidarity.
Documenting this recovery, residents are seen cleaning and drying their possessions, recounting their losses, and grappling with the trauma. The images capture the extensive damage, from destroyed homes and community centers to waterlogged streets and households. Efforts are underway to restore essential services like clean water, and the community’s resilience shines as they support each other through the arduous rebuilding process.
