The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has warned Nigerians living by the banks of River Niger to move out of the area immediately over possible flooding.
The warning was issued in a statement signed by the agency’s Director of Engineering Hydrology, Mr Clement Nze, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The Director listed some states likely to be affected. They include Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Anambra, Delta, and Bayelsa.
Nze also added that the middle part of the Niger basin (Niger Republic) experienced high flows last week with the flood advancing into the Lower Niger (Nigeria).
However, NIHSA noted that both Kainji and Jebba Dams were already dripping water downstream with the level of water in Lokoja downstream of the confluence standing at 8.69m.
“This value has exceeded the corresponding value of 8.57m that occurred on Aug. 29, 2012,”
“In the event that Shiroro Dam equally starts spilling water, it will portend more danger downstream,” he said.
According to The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), NIHSA had released the 2018 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) for the 36 states of the country in May.
The outlook indicated that Sokoto, Niger, Benue, Anambra, Ogun-Osun, Cross River and Yobe states would have high risks of river flooding, adding that Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Ondo states might experience coastal flooding.
The outlook, which is a yearly prediction by the agency, also indicated that flash and urban flood were expected to occur in Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, Yola, Abuja, Maiduguri, Awka, Abakaliki, Birnin-Kebbi, Kano, Yenogoa, Abeokuta, Ado-Ekiti, Lokoja, Lafia, Makurdi, Calabar, Jos, Owerri, Osogbo, Ilorin and Nsukka.
Gombe, Suleja, Karu, Nyanya, Abaji, Onitsha, Sapele, Hadejia and other major cities with poor drainage completed the list.
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