Based on the rainfall distribution and rainfall amounts recorded in the country during the month of August, 2022, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, has warned of possible flooding in some states that have experienced high amount of rainfall in July and August this year.
According to NiMet, “the saturated state of the soil moisture across the country in the month of July and heavy rainfall recorded in August may put most places to experience varying degrees of flooding activities ranging from high, medium, low and flash flood for the month of September”.
The Agency’s Spokesperson, Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim, who disclosed this in a statement, revealed that Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna, Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Borno, Gombe and Nasarawa states recorded over 300mm, which represents over 40% of Long-term Normal of those places in one month, adding that places around the southwestern part of the country however recorded less than 200mm as a result of the long dry spell associated with August Break over those areas.
NiMet further stated that places with major river channels may experience probable high risk of flood events due to accumulation of water already on the river channels which may not be able to contain any additional water.
The Agency listed states that are prone to high risk of flooding this Month of September to include Kebbi and Jigawa in the northwest, Borno, Bauchi and Taraba in the northeast, Plateau in north central and Bayelsa in the South south.
Other states listed that may experience flash flood include Kano, Adamawa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Oyo,and Ekiti.
NiMet advised that State Emergency Management Agencies should intensify adaptative, mitigative and response mechanisms while States
that are expected to experience degrees of various flood episodes are advised to begin their awareness campaigns through field extension workers for possible flood activities within the month of September especially those at high risk areas.
