AS the rains arrived Nigeria in March 2022, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, Thursday, unveiled the 2022 Annual Flood Outlook, which indicated that high flooding will hit 233 Local Government Areas in 32 States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press And Public Relations Unit in the Ministry, Funmi Imuetinyan, where Adamu made the disclosure during the presentation of the 2022 Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, in Abuja.
According to him, the AFO has aided the abatement of flood risks in the country through early warnings and forecasting, and applauded the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency for improving on its predictive capacity through the introduction of new approach to the 2022 AFO which are designed into three respective scenarios of flood outlook for the months of April to June(AMJ); flood outlook for September to July (JAS); and flood outlook for the months of October to November (ON) respectively.
He said: “The general outlook of 2022 Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, shows that 233 local government Areas in 32 States of the Federation and FCT fall within the Highly Probable flood risk Areas, while 212 Local Government Areas in 35 States of the Federation including FCT fall within the moderately probable flood risk Areas.
“The remaining 392 Local Government Areas fall within the probable flood risk Areas.
“The highly Probable Flood risk states include Adamawa, Abia,Akwa Ibom,Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River,Delta and Ebonyi. Others are, Ekiti, Edo, Gombe,Imo,Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and FCT.”
However, the Minister said eight States will battle with tidal surge and rise in sea level I 2022 based on the AFO.
“Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo will experience coastal flooding due to tidal surge and rise in sea level”, he said.
Meanwhile, he (Adamu) said flash and urban flooding will be experienced in parts of major cities including Lagos, Kaduna, Suleja, Gombe, Yola, Markurdi, Abuja, Lafia, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Benin City, and Birni kebbi. Others include Sokoto, Lokoja, Maiduguri,Kano,Oshogbo,Ado Ekiti,Abakaliki, Awka, Nsukka, Calabar and Owerri.
According to the statement, the Minister assured that efforts are in top gear by the Ministry of Water Resources to put in place structural control measures such as dams, canals, storm drains and other facilities to divert flood waters from highly probable flood risk zones in the country.
He also made it known that there is strong collaboration beween neighbouring countries with regards to water releases from dams within their catchments and better preparedness to avert any flood incidents.
Earlier, speaking at the public presentation of the 2022 AFO, the Director General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Engr Clement Nze, expressed optimism that Nigerians will be better informed, educated and enlightened with the 2022 AFO document, while the Minister unveiled the AFO document to the public.
