Heavy Flooding Expected in 121 LGAs, FG Warns

The federal government yesterday said about 121 local government areas across 28 states of the federation would likely experience heavy flooding this year.

The Minister for Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, who disclosed this at the presentation of the 2021 annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in Abuja, said another 302 local government areas across the 36 states and the FCT will likely experience moderate flooding.

He warned that this year, just like 2020, the country would grapple with the two threats of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the impending floods as predicted in the AFO.

The minister, who also said there would be heavy coastal flooding in Rivers, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos and Ondo States, called for concerted efforts to mitigate the impact of the expected flood.

According to him, “So far, the flood levels will be higher than in previous years but will not attain the levels of the 2012 devastating floods. In summary, the 2021 AFO forecast indicates that 302 LGAs in 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will fall within the moderate probable Flood Risk Areas. It is expected from the forecast that 121 LGAs in 28 states will fall within the Highly Probable Risk Areas. The states contiguous to River Niger and River Benue are, without doubt, going to experience river flooding.

“These states include

Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Bayelsa, Anambra, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, FCT, Zamfara, Kebbi Niger and Sokoto. Flash and urban floods from heavy inundation are predicted to occur in some major cities, the severity of which will depend on the availability and adequacy of the drainage systems and adherence to urban planning regulations.”