‘Over 15 states, 50 LGs likely to be flooded this year’

Dr Moses Beckley, NIHSA Director General said that the 16 states fall under what they call high flood risk areas while another 25 states and 104 local government areas fall under the moderate flood risk areas.
He said that the outlook which relied on the rain fall pattern already released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, has the aim of providing government at all levels information to embark on preventive and mitigation measures.
“It is recommended that government at all levels embark on flood prevention and mitigation measures such as construction of reservoirs, weirs as well as the continuous sensitisation of the people living in flood plains which would ensure sustainable socio-economic development in the country,” he said.
He noted that 60 per cent of the expected flood would be as a result of heavy rains, adding that the effect of the flood may go beyond the inland extent of the mapped area. “New disaster risk reduction approaches will be needed to build the necessary capacity to address these challenges,” he added.
He said that the expected areas for river flooding in 2015 were located in the Niger and Benue river basins, Sokoto-Rima Basin, Anambra, Cross River, Niger Delta and several other sub-basins of the country.
“Of these basins, Sokoto-Rima, Niger, Benue basins and part of Anambra basin are areas to expect the high risk flood,” Beckley said.