Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency has advised the immediate evacuation of communities in several states over the risk of flooding caused by the release of water from Lagdo Dam in neighbouring Cameroon.
At least 11 Nigerian states will be likely be flooded following the release of water from the dam, NEMA warned on Wednesday.
The agency said the immediate evacuation of Nigerians from various communities to safer destinations should be carried out to mitigate possible flood disaster this year.
The states to be most affected are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Anambra. Others are Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa.
Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General, NEMA, said the states, located on the downstream of River Benue, should begin to take efforts to evacuate and mitigate the impact of the impending flooding.
He said this at the national emergency coordination forum meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.
“18 million cubic metres of water”
Cameroonian authorities notified Nigeria of the release of water from the Lagdo Dam.
Some 18 million cubic metres of water is expected to be released daily at the rate of 200 cubic metres per second, NEMA said.
“The states on the downstream of River Benue are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states,” Mr Ahmed said.
“Information available from the flow level of the River Benue at Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) gauging station at Makurdi stood at 8.97 meters as of Aug. 25, 2023 compared to 8.80 meters on the same date in 2022.
“Also, NIHSA has provided that the flow level of River Niger system, especially at Niamey, Niger Republic, remains stable at a normal level of 4.30 metres.
“Similarly, inland dams including Kainji, Jebba and Shiroro reported consistent flow regimes,” he said.
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Nigeria has faced devastating floods in the last few years. In 2022, flooding affected 33 of Nigeria’s 36 states, displacing over 1.3 million people and destroying over thousands of homes.
The floods were caused by a combination of factors, including heavy rains, poor drainage, and the release of water from dams in Cameroon.
Last week, officials said flooding destroyed at least 700 houses and farmlands in Cheledi Community, Kirfi local government area of Bauchi state.
The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said the flood was caused by heavy rains that overflowed the banks of rivers in the area.
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