KEY POINTS
- NEMA continues to monitor Niger and Benue rivers following release by Cameroonian side of Lagdo Dam water.
- Certain group of people in the Adamawa and Taraba states are already feeling the impact of increasing water levels.
- FG forecasts wetweek: five days of torrential rains, looming floods in 15 states.
NEMA has sent a team to oversee the Niger and Benue rivers due to water let in by the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. The National Emergency Management Agency ‘s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, said on Sunday that staff had been deployed along the river banks to monitor the rising water level and give warning signals to victims.
“We are carefully observing the water level in River Benue, and our Director General Mrs Zubaida Umar has sent staffs to the states along the river bank,” Ezekiel explained. He sought to stress on the case for preparedness, he said, “It is better to be prepared than to be caught off guard.”
Effect of Lagdo Dam release and flood consciousness
This year some communities across the borders of Adamawa and Taraba state have been victims of water release from Lagdo Dam. According to Ezekiel, this year’s auditing shows that management’s degree of vigilance is increased and residents are more aware of the threats than in previous years, as the major goal is to prevent disasters. “We are in touch with the people of these areas all the time and requesting them to use caution,” he said further.
However, the Federal Government has forecasted five days downpour and flood in 15 states in Nigeria. The National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre of the Federal Ministry of Environment predicts that the identified areas are most likely to experience good rainfall between 29/09/2024 & 03/10/2024.
States that face high risk of flooding
The prediction pointed out that some states would be affected by flood such as; Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, and others.
The small communities in the southeastern part of Nigeria such as Oron in Akwa Ibom, Numan in Adamawa, and Brass in Bayelsa were mentioned to be at risk for the impending heavy rain.
According to The Punch, The public and leaders have been advised to be ready and act to prevent where necessary, this with relevant stakeholders, members of the public, and local government officials. NEMA has established a monitoring and response team in order to address this issue and try to minimise the consequences of the flooding for the populations.
