states across the country would experience flood in the coming weeks – NIMET

More states across the country would experience flood in the coming weeks as rainfall intensifies, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has warned.

The warning NIMET came as residents in flood-prone plains said they can’t relocate to safer areas because state authorities have not provided alternative shelter for them.

Many cities across the country have experienced flooding that resulted in death and destruction in a number of states.

In Suleja, Niger State 19 people were killed and dozens of others injured during last week’s floods following torrential rainfall.

NIMET said Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Adamawa, Benue and other coastal states would be ravaged flood based on the 2017 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) which indicated that their rainfall pattern will be above normal.

The NIMET’s head of Weather Forecasting Services Department, Mr. Ishiyaku Ibrahim told Daily Trust that states like Kaduna, Benue, Anambra, Delta, Gombe, Zamfara and northern Yobe show prospects of moderate to severe run-off over during July-September 2017 because of their current soil moisture condition.

The agency’s prediction said floods may occur in some states in the north and the west even as a shorter length of rain is predicted in most part of the country.

“As a result of the favourable monsoon conditions, adequate moisture was accumulated in the atmosphere and subsequently precipitated in large amount that the soil could not absorbed thus causing the flooding that hit Lagos, Niger, Abuja and some other parts of the country with its attendant destruction of lives and property,” he said.

“It is pertinent to note that Victoria Island (Marine station) recorded one fall of 176.5mm rain on 8th and Lagos Roof near Tafawa Balewa Square had 132.8mm on same day. Same stations had recorded heavy rainfall the previous day (7th) with amount of 69.8mm and 65.6mm respectively which lead to the reported flooding” the official said.

Mr Ibrahim advised that “in order to mitigate future occurrence of such flooding, the public should avoid blockage of water ways and flood plains (building of structures, refuse dumping; etc.) and ensure clearance of drainage systems in their environment.”

He said: “Most of the states that had these floods are in the forecast. You know the areas that are prone to flooding are mostly areas that are low laying plains and areas that are along the river banks. People sometimes build houses along the river banks, very close, and so when there is excess rainfall or when the dams are open upstream, sometimes you find that this flood will come and affect the houses.

“The floods that have occurred now is in correlation or agreement with the SRP 2017 because in the prediction we said there is going to be above-normal rainfall in some parts of the country, especially the inland areas of the South-west, the North-east and North-western flanks and the coastal cities,” the NIMET official said.

In Rivers State, communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and old Ahoada Local Government Areas of Rivers State are getting set to contain the impending flood that will likely befall the communities as the downpour intensifies.

Communities such as Okwuzi, Ndoni, Ahoada, Egbede, Aga and Egbema were submerged flood last year.

Gilbert Ameh, a resident of Okwuzi said they have done so many things to avert any calamity during the rain.

“This year we are not going to take any chances. We have done a lot of sand filling and we are removing every blockade that can impede free flow of water,” he said.

Rivers State government recently gave an ultimatum to residents of Port Harcourt whose houses are blocking the waterways to remove such properties or government will demolish them.

In Lagos state, after the recent floods, many residents in Ibeju Lekki, Aja, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and others in the suburb such as Satellite Town, Egbeda are currently counting their losses.

Prince Dickson, who lives in a satellite town, Ojo, said he had to move some of his property out of his house when he noticed sudden rise in water level in his street.

He accused some companies at Satellite Town for building their property on drainages and water ways and had refused all entreaties to remove them.

However, the General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Tiamiyu Adesina told Daily Trust the agency is ready to address any emergency that may crop up from flooding and that the two camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) centres in Igando and Agbowa areas of the state.

“I can assure you that as an agency of government we have capacities to deal with it,” Adesina said.

In Kogi State, there are already concerns across the communities that are prone to flood given reports that flash flood have been recorded in Igalamela and Kabba Bunu local government areas.

A resident of a flood prone community in Adankolo area of Lokoja, Alhaji Momoh Saidu expressed concerns over the increasing level of water at the River Niger.

He said they have been observing the water level and would be ready to relocate once there is need to do so and called on the state government give attention to clearing of all blocked drainage channels to ensure free flow of water.

On her part, a widow, Hajiya Asmau Musa, said she has no alternative place to relocate to in an event of flood, urging government to make provision for temporary camp where people can relocate to.

Contacted, Kogi State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya said the state government was scaling up sensitisation campaigns for residents.

In Kwara State, some residents of flood-prone areas said they are staying put because they don’t have any alternative to move to.

Some of them who spoke to our correspondent following the flood disaster in neighbouring Niger State and Lagos said they hope and pray that the state will not experience such this year even though it has become an annual occurrence.

Mrs ‎Abimbola Isaac said she is planning to move her family to a relative’s house if the situation gets worse but as of now they are still in their house hoping and praying that previous flood situation will not re-occur.

Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Media, Dr Muideen Akorede said ‎the ministry of environment and the state environmental protection agency have been mandated to ensure that refuse dumped in drainages are evacuated promptly to avoid possible flooding.

In Cross River State, many residents of Agwagunne in Biase local government have already relocated to safer areas.

In Atimbo in the Calabar South local area there are many ravines bedevilled gully erosion and the area experience flooding annually.

Mike Eraye, commissioner for environment said they have been “appealing to the residents of ravines and flood prone areas to relocate to no avail. All we can do is to plead because the resultant dangers from flood can be very devastating.”

In Benue State, our correspondent reports that residents in parts of Wadata, Achusa, Zone 4 High level, Kyado villa, opposite Judges Quarters, Wurukum areas in Makurdi, Guma, Otukpo and Logo Local Government Areas have already started experiencing mild flooding.

Nelson Ogbu, a resident of flood prone Achusa community in Makurdi metropolis, said yesterday that the situation was already threatening and they could no longer drive their vehicles into their various compounds.

He said they are hoping that the experience of last year which sent residents packing from the area would not repeat itself.

Similarly, Alex Terfa, of Rice Mill in Wadata, an area on the banks of River Benue had witnessed heavy flooding over the years said residents are optimistic that the vicinity would not be flooded this year.

When contacted, the Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Boniface Ortese, said that there is the possibility of serious flooding in at least seven local government areas of the state.

In Kaduna, some of the areas prone to flood in the city include Kigo extension, Barnawa, some paŕt of Kamazou, Downquarters, Gonin-gora and Rafinguza among others.

A resident of Kigo extension, Chinemerem Anthony, said he is on the alert having seen what happened in Lagos and Niger state and that he has planned to evacuate some of his belongings to a safer place.

Another resident of flood prone area in Kaduna, Amina Anebi said she has alerted her friend to be ready to accommodate her in the case of any flood disaster in her area.

Mrs. Halima Shehu of Banarwa said she has taken her two children to stay with her sister residing in a flood free area so that, peradventure, there is any emergency, she and her husband will find a way of escape easily.

The Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Emergency Agency (SEMA), Ezekiel Baba Karik said in order not to take things for granted, arrangements have been made with some school owners on plan to use their facilities as camps in the case of flood disaster.

In Oyo State, the government has vowed to demolish structures on waterways around riverbanks and streams to prevent the repeat of August 27, 2011 flood disaster in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Isaac Ishola stated this while assessing the damages done the recent heavy downpour in the State.

Ishola said all the efforts put in place the state government to militate against flooding were almost jeopardised the efforts of property owners and people who erect structures around riverbanks and stream sides.

severe run-off over during July-September 2017 because of their current soil moisture condition.