The Federal Government has issued a warning that several areas in 19 states may face flooding from August 5 to August 9 due to heavy rainfall.
The alert came from the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre under the Federal Ministry of Environment on Tuesday. It advised residents and relevant authorities to take urgent precautions.
The states expected to be affected include Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Cross River, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno, and Gombe.
Some of the locations listed are Edor, Eket, Oron, Tafawa-Balewa, Abakaliki, Keffi, Gboko, Zaria, Daura, Birnin-Kebbi, Wudil, Kontagora, Mangu, Takum, Dutse, Potiskum, Anka, Sokoto, Biu, and Bajoga.
The warning follows a worrying trend of yearly floods in Nigeria. In 2024, 31 states were hit, killing hundreds and displacing over a million people.
One of the most severe incidents happened on September 10, 2024, when the Alau Dam collapsed in Borno State, leaving 150 people dead and over 419,000 displaced. About 70 percent of the community was submerged.
This year alone, floods have already claimed at least 200 lives in Mokwa, Niger State, during the May disaster caused by heavy rainfall and a dam failure.
In April, floods killed 13 people in Kwara and Mokwa. Among them were three who drowned when a canoe capsized. The incident also damaged rice farms and affected 30 communities due to water released from the Jebba power dam.
Other deadly incidents include the flood and landslide in Okrika, Rivers State, which killed 25 people and destroyed homes.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said at least 165 people have died in flood-related disasters this year. Another 82 people are missing, while over 119,000 have been affected.
So far, 43,936 people have been displaced, 8,594 houses damaged, and 8,278 farmlands ruined across 43 local councils.
NEMA also noted that children and women have suffered the most.
To address the crisis, the National Economic Council recently approved the release of intervention funds. Each state, including the FCT, will receive N3 billion. The Ministries of Environment, Budget and Planning, and Water Resources will each get N1.5 billion, while NEMA will get N10 billion.
