The Federal Government has says the 2023 flood situation across the country is worsening as 20 states, and 46 Local Government Areas have been hit by different degrees of flooding.

It said this had resulted in the demise of about five people.

It disclosed this at the National Emergency Coordination Forum, organised by the National Emergency Management Agency in Abuja.

In his address at the forum, the Director-General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Clement Nze, noted that in February 2023, NIHSA presented the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook to the public.

“The general outlook shows that 178 LGAs fall within the high flood risk areas spreading over 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while 224 LGAs fall within the moderate flood risk areas, as the remaining 372 LGAs fall within the Low Flood Risk Areas,” Nze stated.

Providing an update on the flood situation in Nigeria, with respect to the projections in the 2023 AFO, he said, “So far, not less than 20 states of the federation and the FCT have experienced one degree of flooding or the other with over 46 LGAs affected and several casualties recorded and houses submerged.

“The states and the affected LGAs are Anambra (Onitsha North, Orumba North); Adamawa (Yola North, Machika, Madagali); Abia (Aba South); Akwa Ibom (Uyo); Edo (Benin); Benue (Makurdi); Borno (Bama, Mobbar); Delta (Oshimili South, Warri), Ekiti (Ikole); and Imo (Owerri), Kwara (Oke-Ero, Moro).

“Others are Lagos (Agege, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Ikeja, Alimosho, Kosofe, Ajeromi-Ifelodun); Ogun (Ota, Yewa North, Yewa South); Ondo (Akure North, Ifedore, Odigbo); Oyo (Ido, Ibadan); Niger (Mokwa, Lapai, Katchia, Lavun, Rijau, Magama, Gbako, Bosso, Mariga, Kontogora); Rivers (Oyigbo West); Taraba (Jalingo); and the FCT (AMAC, Kuje, Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kwali).

“Recall that in the FCT, several communities like Lugbe (Trademoore Estate) had experienced flooding where over four persons died, with more than 116 houses submerged. Other flood affected areas in the FCT include Jedo, Lokogoma, Kubwa, Galadimawa, etc.”

Nse stated that between the months of April, May and June, about 23 LGAs experienced certain degrees of flood-related disasters, while in July alone, more than 11 LGAs had experienced some flood disasters.

The Director-General, NEMA, Mustapha Habib, corroborated the position of the NIHSA boss, as he stated that many parts of Nigeria were already submerged by floods.

He said, “Recall that the 2022 flood disaster claimed 665 lives, displaced 2,437,411 persons and affected 4,476,867 persons. We have already started experiencing flood in some parts of the country this year.

“This calls for concerted effort to address it and many other disasters. The ECF is therefore an avenue for stakeholders to come together to discuss humanitarian challenges being faced by the citizens as a result of these disasters/emergencies and to proffer ways of mitigating their impacts on citizens.”

Habib said coordination was a vital component of disaster management that should be given adequate attention. (The PUNCH)

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