The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has warned of high riverine flood risk across 15 states from September 19 to 25, urging residents in vulnerable communities to move to safer, higher ground.
NiHSA Director-General, Arch Umar Mohammed, issued the warning on Saturday in the agency’s National Flood Advisory, saying rising river levels could inundate communities and affect schools, healthcare facilities, markets, farms and religious buildings.
“High riverine flood risk is forecast for the next seven days across Imo, Cross River and 13 other states,” Mohammed said.
He urged state governments to urgently relocate residents in flood-prone communities ahead of the forecast, particularly those living on floodplains.
NiHSA identified Imo, Cross River, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Enugu, Kogi, Delta, Abia, Taraba, Rivers and Lagos as states facing varying degrees of severe riverine flood risk during the period.
In Imo, the affected areas include Aboh-Mbaise, Ahiazu-Mbaise, Ehime Mbano, Ezinihitte, Ideato North, Ihitte/Uboma and Ikeduru. The agency said 958 communities, 1,022 schools, 553 healthcare facilities, 161 markets and 198 religious buildings were exposed.
In Cross River, eight LGAs, including Abi, Akamkpa, Akpabuyo, Biase, Calabar, Calabar South, Ikom and Obubra, were identified as vulnerable. NiHSA listed 2,471 communities, 703 schools, 344 healthcare facilities, 145 markets, 453 religious buildings and 854 hectares of farmland as exposed.
Ebonyi has six affected LGAs, with 2,574 communities, 1,064 schools, 422 healthcare facilities, 480 markets, 629 religious buildings and 1,882 hectares of farmland exposed.
In Benue, the affected LGAs are Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum. NiHSA identified 303 communities, 100 schools, 48 healthcare facilities, 32 markets, 151 religious buildings and 55 hectares of farmland as exposed.
Anambra’s affected areas include Aguata, Anambra East, Anambra West, Anaocha, Awka North, Awka South and Ayamelum. The agency listed 1,314 communities, 1,308 schools, 1,089 healthcare facilities, 280 markets, 610 religious buildings and 1,529 hectares of farmland at risk.
In Akwa Ibom, the affected LGAs include Abak, Eket, Etinan, Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutan, Ibiono Ibom, Ika and Ikono, with 249 communities, 323 schools, 211 healthcare facilities, 74 markets and 289 religious buildings exposed.
NiHSA also warned residents in the affected states to monitor official advisories and take precautionary measures as river levels rise.
The agency specifically cited river stations at Obubra, Itigidi and Epento on the Cross River as areas requiring close attention.
It urged communities on floodplains to prepare for possible evacuation and called on state authorities to act ahead of the forecast rather than wait for flooding to occur.
