At least 40 people were killed when a reservoir dam burst in Nigeria's northern city of Gusau, washing away more than 100 houses, local media reported on Sunday. Heavy rainfall swelled the reservoir to critical levels forcing the dam to collapse and sending a barrage of water through villages in the northern state of Zamfara on Saturday.

"The body of water was just like the pictures of tsunami that we have seen," Zamfara state governor Ahmed Sani told the BBC Hausa Service, adding that at least 40 people were killed.

"It had enough force and speed to sweep people off their feet and into the river." The reservoir was the main source of drinking water for Zamfara state capital Gusau. One woman who had given birth five days before said her baby was washed away, ThisDay newspaper reported.

"I just went to a neighbourhood when the baby was asleep and before I could return the house was flooded and I could not find my baby," the woman who gave her name as Saratu told the paper.

Copyright Reuters, 2006