Metro
NiMet raises alarm over severe flooding in 11 states
Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) on Monday, raised alarm of impending severe flooding that could wreak havoc in at least 11 states in Nigeria, if nothing serious is done to cushion the effect.
In its latest flood alerts, NiMet specifically declared that from August to October this year, 11 states will experience severe floods, as soil moisture in these states had reached or were close to saturation.
The agency report on Rainfall Situation and Prospects of Flooding in August to October 2016, findings showed that the saturation of soil moisture in the affected states was as a result of cumulative high intensity rainfall in June and July.
“After thorough analyses of rainfall data from our observatories nationwide for June and July, we wish to provide the following information and advisories to the public, especially those in the affected areas. Soil moisture has either reached saturation, or near saturation levels due to cumulative high intensity rainfall in some parts of the country in June and July.
“The affected states include Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara. This means that floods should be expected in these areas because the soil is no longer able to absorb more rainwater in the coming weeks which coincide with the peak rainy season,” NiMet said,
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NiMet, in its 2016 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), had noted that while many parts of Nigeria would experience lower than-normal total rainfall due to the effect of El Nino, flooding could still be experienced in such areas, particularly those that were naturally prone to it.
North-West, South-West and low-lying areas, were identified as being particularly vulnerable to flooding during 2016 rainy season, by the agency SRP.
The observations and projections were also in agreement with the 2016 Annual Flood Outlook that was released by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency.
The agency is now calling on governments, communities and individuals in these vulnerable parts of the country to take proactive actions such as clearing water channels and drainage, and also avoid activities that could block the free flow of flood water.
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