Nigerian government identifies flood prone areas in 31 states, calls for prior preparations
The Federal Government of Nigeria says it has identified 148 local government areas from 31 states to be at higher flood risk for the year 2024, beginning from April to November.
The Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, confirmed this in a statement.
According to the statement, the Honourable Minister of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, made the announcement during the launch of the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook with the theme “Promoting the use of Data Analytics and Modeling for Flood Risk Assessments and Food Security,” which took place in Abuja.
Some of the identified areas include parts of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, among others.
He stressed the urgency of the Annual Flood Outlook in mitigating the devastating impacts of floods, highlighting its alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Agenda on food security and poverty reduction.
Also, flash floods and urban flooding are expected to affect urban city centers nationwide, including Abakaliki, Abeokuta, Abuja, Lagos, Asaba, Benin City, Birnin-Kebbi, and others.
The minister appealed to state governors to respond quickly to the information in the 2024 annual flood outlook, highlighting the importance of collaboration among policymakers, government departments, and agencies to reduce flood risks.
