FCT, 36 States to Experience Flooding this Year, NIHSA Warns

FCT, 36 States to Experience Flooding this Year, NIHSA Warns

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has warned that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and all the states in Nigeria will experience different level of flooding in 2019.

The Director-General of the agency, Clement Nze, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during the overview of the 2019 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), with the theme: ‘The Role of Efficient Hydrological Services in National Development’.

He also revealed that the agency was developing an app that would alert Nigerians of impending flood.

“36 states, including the FCT, are expected to experience different level of flooding,” Nse stated.

He explained that the agency categorised the different level of flooding into three, which include Highly Probable, Probable and Low Flood Risk.

According to him, “74 local government areas fall under highly probable to experience flooding; while 279 local government areas fall under probable flood risk areas and 421 local government areas fall under low flood risk areas.”

The director-general also said highly probable states to experience flooding include Osun, Lagos, Benue, Oyo, Cross River, Sokoto, Plateau, Abia, Edo among others.

Also, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, while delivering his key note address, said this year’s flood outlook was the seventh in the series by NIHSA and the fourth under his stewardship.

He noted that the AFO commenced in 2013, a year after the very devastating and unprecedented flood of 2012 in Nigeria.

Adamu stressed that this year’s theme was built on the achievement of six previous forecasts by the agency, explaining that the outcome of these forecasts had been the progressive reduction in the incidences of flood damage, not necessarily as a result of reduced flooding, but a consequence of the timely heeding of the warnings contained therein by communities, agencies and government at various levels.

He said the dissemination of these forecasts to all areas in the country in a timely manner has been helpful.

Adamau stated: “Looking beyond the annual flood outlook being presented today, it is envisioned that with adequate funding and establishment of more hydrological monitoring stations on our rivers and streams, we will be able to provide flood alarm systems at high risks and vulnerable areas associated with flood and other extreme climate situation.

“The 2019 AFO is an added impetus to the government’s change agenda to better the lives of Nigerians with early warning to people and communities located in flood plains and other vulnerable areas, and to put in place the necessary actions that will ameliorate the adverse effects of flood to lives and property.”

The minister said while man might not be in a position to stop

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