Coming Rains: FG Notifies Governors, Warns of Flooding in 31 of 36 States
*Fingers A’Ibom, Lagos, Adamawa, Ogun, Benue, 26 others as having high risks LGAs
The Federal Government on Monday, warned that 31 of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will be the centre of flooding following the arrival of the rainy season between April and November.
The warning is contained in a letter dispatched to the state Governors by the minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, during the country's 2024 Annual Flood Outlook.
According to the minister, 148 council areas will be affected in the 31 states of the federation, adding that part of 249 council areas in the entire 36 states and the FCT will also be hit by flooding, albeit at moderate levels.
“The 2024 Annual Flood Outlook shows that part of 148 Local Government Areas in 31 states of the federation fall within the high flood-risk areas, while part of 249 LGAs in 36 states of the federation and the FCT fall within the moderate flood-risk areas.
“The high flood-risk states are Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe.”
The minister noted that the flooding will have high impact not only on the population directly, agriculture, livelihood, livestock, environment and infrastructure will also be heavily impacted.
A breakdown of the report indicates that in the main, 72 Council areas spread across the country fall under the high flood-risk points in the months of April, May and June just as part of 135 council areas will experience same between July, August and September, with 44 others feeling the impact in September.
“The level of floods in this category is expected to be high in terms of impact on the population, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock and infrastructure, and the environment.
“Part of 72 LGAs across the country fall within the high flood-risk areas in April, May, and June; while part of 135 LGAs in July, August, and September; and part of 44 LGAs in October and November 2024 are within the high flood-risk zones,” he stated.
He explained that overall, moderate flooding will be experience in certain council areas of some states between April and November, adding that flash and urban floods would also be part of the experience in urban city centres across the country within the period.
“Moderate impact level floods are expected in parts of 63 LGAs within April, May, and June; and in parts of 221 LGAs within July, August, and September; and parts of 100 LGAs within October and November 2024,” Utsev stated.
“Among these are Abakaliki, Abeokuta, Abuja, Asaba, Benin City, Birnin-Kebbi, Calabar, Ibadan, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Makurdi, Nguru, Onitsha, Oshogbo, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Warri and Yola,” the minister added.
According to him, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, and Ondo would experience coastal flooding due to the rise in sea level and tidal surge, noting that the phenomenon would impact fishing, wildlife habitation, and river navigation.
This, he noted, necessitated the transmission of letters to the Governor's of the affected states with a view to informing them of what is coming bearing in mind that they would thus be in a position to take certain mitigating actions.
“To give the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook publication the urgency it deserves, I have notified all the state governors on the level of flooding to expect in their respective states.
“Letters and AFO publications (with maps) have been dispatched to the governors while the exact LGAs to be affected in each state and the expected level of the flood are detailed accordingly.
“I, therefore, appeal to the state governors to give the information in AFO the attention it requires and to act swiftly to contain effects of any flooding incidence to forestall any chaotic situation,” Utsev urged.
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