FLOOD: Benue and 10 other states get flood alert

 The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on Monday said 11 states in the country are likely to experience flood between August and October.

The flood, according to the agency, will be caused by rainfall intensity which has made soil moisture to reach saturation level and can no longer absorb more rainwater.

The states to be affected are – Benue, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara.

NiMet Head of Corporate Communication, Eva Azinge, stated these in a statement issued in Abuja.

To avoid the flood, NiMet advised governments, communities and individuals in the vulnerable parts of the country to take proactive actions by clearing water channels and drainages, and also avoid activities that block the free flow of flood waters.

Sunnex Connect gathered that, the agency said attention should be paid to its daily weather forecasts and alerts, adding that relevant agencies should perfect their emergency evacuation plans and activate them as soon as necessary.

The statement said, “NiMet, in exercise of its mandate to monitor the weather and climate of the country at all times, and working in collaboration with the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency has been monitoring rainfall events across the country.

“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 that 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.

“Governments, communities and individuals in these vulnerable parts of the country are advised to take proactive actions, such as clearing water channels and drainages, and also avoid activities that block the free flow of flood waters.

“Closer attention should also be paid to NiMet’s daily weather forecasts and alerts. It is further advised that relevant agencies should perfect their emergency evacuation plans and activate them as soon as necessary.”