Flooding Likely To Hit More Than 25 Million Nigerians

ABUJA, August 10, (THEWILL) – At least 25 million people living in coastal regions of the country risk the devastation of floods before the end of the year, according to a warning issued on Friday in Abuja by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Head, public relations of the agency, Mr. Yusha’u Shuaib listed the basins of Rivers Niger, Benue and Sokoto as the most flood-prone areas.

An assessment exercise undertaken by NEMA and its partners, he explained, had revealed that the flood plains of many of the country’s rivers are susceptible to flooding during the rains. States, such as, Rivers, Niger, Benue, Cross River, Katsina, and Imo, are, consequently, threatened by flooding.

Shuaib recalled that coastal areas of Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states have already experienced severe flooding impacts since the beginning of the rainy season, due to factors such as absence of surface drains and blockage of existing drains with municipal waste, refuse and eroded soil sediments.

“Nigerian towns and cities are generally characterised by poor drains and are, therefore, prone to flooding, particularly cities like Lagos, Ibadan, Aba, Calabar, Maiduguri and Port Harcourt,” he said, adding that NEMA had been stepping up its advocacy and campaign efforts in order to protect people living in the endangered areas.

“The agency is warning people of impending danger to their lives and, where necessary, urging states and local authorities to relocate people in disaster-prone areas,” he added.

Flooding has been a persistent problem in the country’s coastal areas with tragedies recorded this year alone resulting in the death of hundreds of people, the Plateau experience of July being the worst in recent months.