…29 states, FCT affected
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Monday said more than 300 lives have been lost and over 500 persons are seriously injured as a result of floods in different parts of the country in 2022.
The Agency also said more than 100,000 others were displaced and are living either in temporary shelters including schools, other public buildings or amongst benevolent host families.
The director-general of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, who stated this in Abuja at the Emergency Technical Meeting on flood situation in Nigeria, said 29 states including the FCT have experienced heavy flooding with more than 500,000 persons already affected.
According to Ahmed, the flood was caused by above average rainfall and release of water by the Lagdo dam operators in the Republic of Cameroun.
The DG also said Nigeria’s inland reservoirs including Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro are also expected to overflow between now and October ending.
According to him, this will have serious consequences on frontline states and communities along the courses of rivers Niger and Benue.
The states are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Kebbi and Kogi states.
Others are Niger Delta states including Edo, Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa are expected to record heavy floods.
He said: “Based on our communication with the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the Lagdo dam operators in the Republic of Cameroun have commenced the release of excess water from the reservoir by 13th September, 2022.
“We are aware that the released water cascades down to Nigeria through River Benue and its tributaries thereby inundating communities that have already been impacted by heavy precipitation.
“The released water complicates the situation further downstream as Nigeria’s inland reservoirs including Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro are also expected to overflow between now and October ending according to NIHSA.
“According to NIHSA, Kainji and Jebba dams have already started spilling exess water from their reservoirs. This will have serious consequences on frontline States and communities along the courses of rivers Niger and Benue”
He urged government of Frontline states to move communities at risk to higher ground.
“I want to advise all the governments of the frontline states to move away communities at risk of inundation, identify safe higher grounds for evacuation of persons and preposition adequate stockpiles of food and non-food items, portable water, hygiene, safety and security to enable them a fair level of comfort during periods of possible displacement, he said.
