THE Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has called on state and local governments to intensify and step up efforts toward averting flood-related disasters in their domains.
The agency said the call became necessary as the nation is in the peak of flooding season up to early October.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, the Director-General of the agency, Clement Nze, named Jigawa as the worst hit state with flooding, noting that about 16 Local Government Areas have been affected with more than 50 lives lost, with properties and infrastructure damaged.
According to him, Lagos is next with 14 LGAs and many casualties recorded, adding that other flood-hit states include Nasarawa (Keffi), Anambra (Onitsha), Imo (Owerri) and Abia (Aba), among others.
He pointed out that virtually all the flood incidents were caused by the overflow of silted rivers and poor drainage systems as a result of localised rainfall that generated flash/urban flooding in the urban areas and metropolis.
Nze recalled that as early as April this year, some states had begun to experience flooding, noting that as of today, flood disasters have occurred in many states.
He stated: “As of today, both Kainji and Jebba Dams on River Niger are still impounding water into their reservoirs. Shiroro Dam on River Kaduna is equally impounding water. No release of water from any of the dams within and outside Nigeria.
“Nigeria is located within the River Niger Basin which is occupied by nine countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. The country is located at the lowest portion of the Basin. This means that once the upper catchment of the Basin gets flooded, Nigeria should be prepared to experience flooding incidents.
"The period of flooding in these upstream countries is between August and October of every year. The Agency is closely monitoring the situation as we are in these critical months. As we speak, the flow of River Niger at Niamey, Niger Republic is within the normal limits.”
Nze highlighted some prevention methods to avert flooding, which according to him, include: clearing of blocked drainage systems and canals, removal of refuse, weeds, water hyacinths and floats on water channels, relocating, to higher grounds, people living along the water-ways and those carrying out socio-economic activities on the flood plains and an improved system for flood monitoring, flood forecasting, and flood early warning.
