The Federal Government announced that 21 local government areas across 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been severely affected by flooding due to recent torrential rainfall.
Engr. Joseph Utserv, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, alongside Minister of State Bello Goronyo and the Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), provided an update at a briefing in Abuja.
They highlighted that some states have been experiencing varying levels of flooding since April 2024, primarily due to prolonged heavy rainfall and inadequate drainage systems.
The 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) by NIHSA had already identified 148 LGAs in 31 states as high flood risk areas, with 249 LGAs in moderate risk and 377 LGAs in low-risk zones.
States predicted to be at high risk include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.
Minister Utserv provided specific examples of recent flood incidents: “For instance, the torrential downpour in the early hours of June 24, 2024, in the FCT resulted in the flooding of Trade More Estate in Lugbe, where two deaths were reported and several houses submerged. AMAC, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Bwari, and Kwali LGAs have also been flooded.”
Additional affected states and LGAs include Anambra (Onitsha North), Edo (Benin), Benue (Makurdi), Kwara (Oke-Ero, Moro), Lagos (Agege, Alimosho, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Ikeja, Eti-Osa), Ogun (Ijebu-Ode), Osun (Oriade), Nasarawa (Doma), and Taraba (Takum, Sardauna), and Yobe.
The minister warned that as rainfall increases, the level of flooding may worsen, exacerbating the ongoing cholera outbreak.
“According to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the cholera outbreak has resulted in 63 deaths and 2,102 suspected cases as of Wednesday, July 3, 2024,” Utserv stated.
NIHSA predicts that river flooding will commence in July 2024, affecting 19 states and the FCT.
“The states likely to be impacted include Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Adamawa, Benue, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Ondo, Ogun, Rivers, Taraba, and the FCT,” Utserv said.
The government is monitoring key water bodies, including the Kainji and Jebba Dams on River Niger and the Shiroro Dam on River Kaduna, to manage water levels and prevent further flooding.
“The Lagdo Dam operators in Cameroon have informed us that they are currently filling the dam for hydropower generation. However, we will keep monitoring the development on this flank and put a close tab on other monitoring stations as we approach the critical months,” Utserv added.
States and local governments have been urged to implement preventive measures to mitigate the impact of the coming floods. Recommended actions include educating citizens on flood prevention, clearing blocked drainage systems, relocating people from flood-prone areas, and constructing flood barriers and other water-retaining structures.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has identified 11 high-risk LGAs in Anambra State and called for collaborative efforts to mitigate flood impacts.
The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, emphasized the importance of community participation in disaster risk management.
The governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, represented by his deputy, Dr. Gilbert Onyekachi Ibezim, praised NEMA’s downscaling initiative and called for the construction of more dams along major rivers to reduce flood occurrences.
The Federal Government promised to continue monitoring the situation and urged all citizens to take necessary precautions to stay safe during the rainy season.