LAGOS SEPTEMBER 7TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hydrological Services Agencies (NHISA) have warned that 12 states across the country would soon experience flooding due to torrential rain falls.
The two agencies gave the warning on Friday during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held with relevant stakeholders in Abuja.
Mr Clem Nze, Director, Engineering Hydrology, NHISA, listed the states to include: Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states, from the River Niger axis.
He also listed Taraba, Benue and Adamawa as states to be affected from the River Benue axis.
The expert also warned that the flood might be eminent, noting that all the indices that played out before the 2012 flooding had already manifested.
He said that the decision to raise the alarm was to ensure preparedness among stakeholders and residents of flood-prone communities.
Nze revealed that as at Friday, the height of River Niger in Lokoja was at 10.1 meters as against the 9.74 meters in 2012, adding that the continued to rise on hourly basis.
The director said that that the water levels were increasing due to the opening of the Shiroro, Kanji and Jebba Dams.
“As at today, our hydro-logical measuring station downstream the confluence in Lokoja recorded a stage height of 10.1m and a discharge value of 21, 326 cubic metre per second.
“As against lower values of 9. 74m and 19,762 cubic meters per second recorded on the corresponding date of 2012 when the flood occurred.
“From the foregoing, it could be said that all the indices that caused the 2012 river flooding have manifested, except spillage of water from the Lagdo Dam,“ he said.
“It would be noted that it was on Sept. 29, 2012 that the maximum flood level of 12 .840m and the corresponding discharge of 31,692 cubic meters per second were recorded at our station in Lokoja, downstream the confluence.