The Federal Government has issued warnings of potential flooding in 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory due to anticipated heavy rains over the coming days.
The forecasts, provided by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment, detail two separate periods of concern: August 30 to September 3, 2024, and September 2 to 3, 2024.
The first prediction indicates that several regions across the country are likely to experience intense rainfall that could lead to flooding.
The states affected include Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Rivers, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.
Specifically, locations such as Mubi in Adamawa, Azare in Bauchi, Biu in Borno, Hadejia in Jigawa, and Port Harcourt in Rivers are among those expected to be most impacted during this period. The ministry has urged residents in these areas to take precautionary measures to mitigate the risks of flooding.
In addition to these warnings, the ministry also highlighted a separate flood risk for September 2 to 3, 2024, affecting additional areas. States such as Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu, and Cross River, along with the FCT, are on alert for potential flooding.
The Federal Ministry of Environment also issued an urgent advisory for communities downstream of the Jebba Dam due to the rising water levels in the Niger River.
“Due to the rise in the water level of River Niger, communities downstream of Jebba are advised to evacuate,” the ministry warned, urging relevant stakeholders to take note.
This warning follows a recent report by the National Emergency Management Agency, which confirmed that severe flooding has already claimed 192 lives across 29 states in Nigeria this year.
The agency attributes the widespread flooding to unprecedented rainfall combined with the rising water levels of the Niger and Benue rivers.
Authorities are urging residents in affected areas to stay vigilant, adhere to evacuation orders, and follow safety guidelines to minimize the impact of the impending floods.
