FG Raises the Alarm over Imminent Floods in Some States

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has warned members of the public to expect more floods in the months of September and October.

The Director General of the NIHSA, Mr. Clement Nze, who gave the warning yesterday at a press briefing in Abuja, said that the current flood level sighted in Niamey poses a dangerous threat to the country.

Nze explained that any release of excess water from the dams in countries upstream Rivers Niger and Benue this year would have more negative impacts on Nigeria, which is located downstream of countries in the Niger Basin.

He identified the highly vulnerable states as Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa.

He said that the flood that ravaged Kebbi State just about a week ago left so many damages and noted that the current flooding situation called for vigilance on the part of all the stakeholders.

The director general called the states and local governments as well as multi-national companies and public-spirited individuals to join hands to save the country from the consequences of “twin pandemic” (COVID-19 and flood) in the year 2020.

Nze warned: ‘’The rains are finally here. The volume of river flows on our river is surging and river channels could no longer accommodate significant runoff as floodplains, which traditionally serve the alluvial plains and are rich in agricultural productivity, lost its retention capacity to give way to flooding of adjacent lands.

“Farmlands and crop yields are being lost to furry of floodwaters, livestock and ecosystem species are diminishing while hope for livelihood hang in the balance due to monumental economic losses.