A prediction of heavy rain which can lead to flooding from July 4 to 8 has been foreseen by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
NEMA on Wednesday warned that 31 communities in 13 states may witness heavy rainfall. The states to be affected include Plateau, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Niger State, and others.
The Agency disclosed this in a statement signed by Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Territorial Coordinator, NEMA, Lagos Territorial Office.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye noted in the statement that 14 states and 31 communities may witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding from July 4 – 8 across the country, adding:
“Stakeholders within the states concerned to take precautionary measures to forestall loss of lives and property.
“The states and communities are; Plateau: Langtang and Shendam; Kano State: Sumaila, Tudun Wada; Sokoto State: Shagari, Goronyo, and Silame; Delta: Okwe.
“Others include Kaduna State: Kachia; Akwa Ibom: Upenekang; Adamawa: Mubi, Demsa, Song, Mayo-Belwa, Jimeta, and Yola; Katsina State: Katsina, Jibia, Kaita, and Bindawa.
“Kebbi State: Wara, Yelwa and Gwandu; Zamfara: Shinkafi and Gummi
“Borno: Briyel; Jigawa: Gwaram; Kwara: Jebba; Niger: Mashegu and Kontagora are also included.”
NEMA also revealed the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) Central Hub of the Federal Ministry of Environment Abuja shared the information with the FG.
In March this year, the Nigerian Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warned Nigerians to expect severe flooding in 2023.
The Director General of NEMA, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, added there had been seasonal climate predictions and annual flood outlooks by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), adding that the flood disaster in 2022 was a learning experience, and NEMA would also spread early warning messages to states and Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“We have started early this year, as we are ready for early warning and early action. We will bombard every citizen, state, and local government with this information as we want them to know that it is serious. We will not keep quiet. We want them to know that there will be flooding this year,’’ he said.
Damages in 2022
At the 2023 budget defence session with the Senate Committee on FERMA last November. FERMA revealed that it evaluated damages done on the affected roads across the states and requested the sum of N100 billion as its intervention fund to repair roads damaged by 2022 nationwide.
