Prepare for more flood – NiMet tells Nigerians

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) have warned of more flood in some states especially in the North Central, South East and South Western States.

This was disclosed by Director-General, NiMet, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, and Director-General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Mr Clement Nze, at the opening ceremony of the workshop on Hydro-meteorological status and outlook system (HydroSOS).

Matazu said with high intensity rains coupled with the dams being let open, there will be more floods.

He said;

“Remember, we issued the forecast in February and we followed up with the monthly updates that we’re going to have above normal rainfall in most part of the country. So in terms of the rainfall induced floods, we’ve seen the peak but remember we told you that this rainwater gets collected into the reservoirs and dams, and whenever they are filled, it gets spilled. So, on the13th of September, the Lagbo Dam was released. And also Kainji and Shiroro dams were also were released. So what we’re witnessing now is riverine flooding.

“And from the information we’re getting from NIHSA we’re going to see more floods. And now the rain is concentrating on the North Central and the southern states. So that will be a combination of short duration, high intensity rain, which riverine flooding. So we’re going to see more of these floods in the north central states as we are seeing in Kogi and also south eastern and southwestern states as we are beginning to see in a number of parts of South West.

“In Africa, water-related hazards such as flood, drought etc has become a major cause of food insecurity, strains on livelihoods, health risks and conflicts in many parts of the continent.”

Matazu who noted that the flood that has happened was primarily caused by rainfall and not the released dams, added that this has been heightened by people who built on flood plains, and the rise in water levels in the River Niger and Benue.