The federal government warned on Wednesday that heavy rainfall could cause flooding in 13 states from September 13 to September 17.
The National Flood Early Warning Systems Central Hub of the Federal Ministry of Environment said the states most at risk are Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, Kwara, Zamfara, Bauchi, Taraba, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Jigawa, and Gombe.
The report said the rise in the water levels of River Benue and River Niger could also affect communities along the rivers up to Bayelsa State.
The government advised residents in these areas to take preventive measures, such as moving to higher ground and storing food and water.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, said the government was working to mitigate the effects.
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“We are striving to curtail the excesses of floods caused by heavy rainfall and the recent release of water from dams and rivers,” he said.
He urged Nigerians always to implement the recommendations of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
The report from the National Flood Early Warning Systems Central Hub is the latest in a series of warnings about the risk of flooding in Nigeria.
In 2022, the country was hit by devastating floods that killed hundreds of people and displaced millions.
The government has said it is working to improve its flood management systems, but experts say more must be done to prevent future disasters.
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