As the rainy season approaches, no fewer than 15 states in the north including Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have been spotlighted to risk acute flooding, maybe worse than last year.
Suleiman Adamu, the former Minister of Water Resources earlier in February revealed the states to include Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna Kano, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and FCT.
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He disclosed this during a General Highlights of the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) organised by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency in Abuja on February 17.
According to him, level of flood impact between April and November 2023 is expected to be high in terms of impact on the population, livelihood, infrastructure and environment.
“Sixty-six LGAs across the country fall within the highly probable risk areas in the months of April, May and June, while part of 148 LGAs fall in the months of July, August and September, and part of 100 LGAs in the months of October and November 2023,” he had said.
He added that a moderate impact level of floods was projected in 41 LGAs within the months of April, May, and June.
According to him, 24 LGAs in 35 states of the federation including the FCT fall within the moderately probable flood risk areas. The remaining 402 LGAs fall within the probable flood risk areas.
LAST YEAR VOLCANIC FLOOD
Last year, flood wreaked havoc in Nasarawa State, affecting one of the largest rice farms in the country. The flooding was worsened by water flow from the River Benue.
About $20 million was lost to the flooding with more than 4000 heaters of land submerged.
In Taraba State, farmers lamented that the 2022 flood destroyed 90 per cent of their farmlands.
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Also in a Post-Global Rapid (Post Disaster) Damage Estimation Grade Report of 2022 Flood, all 36 states of the country were affected by flooding with Jigawa and Taraba among the worst-hit states in the country.
The executive secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Emmanuel Shior, in 2022 disclosed that floods had devastated more than 200 households in Makurdi, the state capital.
In Kogi State, the 2022 flood was described to be devilish in nature, according to the Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulmumuni Danga.
The commissioner disclosed that the flood destroyed the Greater Lokoja Water Works which led to its shutdown.
In Bauchi, 29 persons were reportedly killed while over 200 others were affected across the 20 local government areas of the state
Reports revealed that 8,457 houses were destroyed while 4,500 farmlands were submerged.
