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35 States Would Suffer Flooding This Year – NIHSA

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14 States To Experience Heavy Flood In 2023 - [See Full List]
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35 States Would Suffer Flooding This Year - NIHSA

Flood (Photo Credits: File Photo)

Nigerians Warned Over Flooding

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency yesterday said that 380 Local Government Areas in 35 states would suffer from flooding this year.

The agency also noted that about 78 LGAs would experience high flooding, but would not be as severe as the country’s experience in 2012.

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Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, in Abuja, the Acting Director-General, NIHSA, Olayinka Ogunwale, who commented on the agency’s 2018 findings, said that the government have been warning people who live in flood prone areas to relocate.

He said, “Out of the 35 states that will be affected, 380 will be involved. The highly probable ones are 78 in number and they are spread all over the country. But the severity of flooding in 2018 will not be as bad as what we had last year and, of course, it cannot be compared to what we had in 2012.

“However, It is important to let those in flood-prone areas to know that the country will still experience flooding in 2018 and people in such locations should evacuate. This is one of the reasons for the AFO and the warnings from our agency and, of course, the government.”

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He said the government was doing everything possible to manage high water flows from rivers to contain flooding in the nation.

He identified some of the measures the government is taking as being construction of the kashimbilla Dam, to contain the eventual break of Lake Nyos, building of reservoirs, artificial lakes and buffers, irrigation facilities, barriers among other things

Adamu said that the government had started flood mapping, conducted flood vulnerability studies, awareness and sensitization campaigns to contain flooding in cities.

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The minister said his ministry was also working with upstream countries in West Africa for the management of transboundary rivers Niger and Benue.

Nigeria is also working with the Niger Basin Authority, the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Nigeria-Cameroon joint Commission and the Nigeria-Benin Joint Commission to facilitate the pursuance of shared visions and effective management of water resources,” he added.