The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, has warned that nine states are at a high risk of flooding, while disclosing that the River Niger flood level on Thursday, 10th September attained an unprecedented level, leaving the states vulnerable to the disaster.
The affected states according to the Agency are; Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa states.
Clement Onyeaso Nze, Director General, NIHSA, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, said the current flood level sighted in Niamey, Niger Republic attained an unprecedented level of 7.02m.
“This is a far cry from the value of 6.06m which I reported on 25th August. This flood level poses a dangerous threat to Nigeria which is at the lower portion of Niger Basin whithin this month of September and October”, he said
The DG also disclosed that based on the report of the expected flood coming down from Niamey and the projected contributions by the inland rivers, both Kainji and Jebba Dams built on River Niger have continued to spill water downstream.
He further disclosed that the Shiroro Dam on River Kaduna, with reservoir level at 381.48m as at 9.00am today, has been maintaining a regulated spilling into the River Niger.
“The effect of all these is that communities in the states adjoining River Niger will continue to be highly inundated by River flooding as being witnessed in the recent time”, he warned.
Nze recalled that the Annual Flood Outlook (2020 AFO) had predicted that some parts of at least 102 LGAs in 28 States fall within the Highly Probable Flood Risk areas, while parts of 275 LGAs in the 36 States of the Federation, including the FCT, fall within the Moderately Probable Flood Risk areas and the remaining 397 LGAs fall within the Low Probable Flood Risks areas.
He however regrets that despite the warning, urban and flash floods have continued to wreck havoc in many states including the FCT.
“As at date, not less than 172 LGAs in all states are counting their losses due to flood incidents”, Nze said.
The DG stressed that the country still has many weeks of rainfall in the course of the year. He advised that blocked drainages and gutters be cleared, river channels dredged and structures within the waterways and floodplains and flood paths pulled down
Nze called on government and all stakeholders to work to avert the consequences of the “twin pandemic”, (COVID-19 and flood).
He also noted the earliest cessation date for rainfall in the southern part of the country is December 28th, while September 26th is the earliest cessation date for rainfall in the northern part of the country.
