There has been a directive from the state government to residents living around flood plains and erosion spots to vacate these danger zones before it is too late.
The advisory is coming against the backdrop of the heavy rainfall predicted some states of the federation in July.
This is even as the Federal Government has also sounded a warning to Nigerians living near natural waterways, flood plains, and erosion spots to vacate their residences.
In a statement on Wednesday, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) warned that 14 states and 31 communities might witness heavy rainfall that could lead to flooding from July 4 to July 8.
The Territorial Coordinator, NEMA, Lagos Territorial Office, Ibrahim Farinloye Farinloye, urged relevant stakeholders within the concerned states to take precautionary measures to forestall the loss of lives and property.
The communities are Langtang, Shendam in Plateau State; Sumaila, Tudun Wada in Kano; Shagari, Goronyo, Silame in Sokoto; Okwe, Delta state; Kachia, Kaduna state; Upenekang in Akwa Ibom; Mubi, Demsa, Song, Mayo-Belwa, Jimeta and Yola in Adamawa state and Katsina, Jibia, Kaita, Bindawa all in Katsina state.
Others include Wara, Yelwa, and Gwandu in Kebbi; Shinkafi and Gummi in Zamfara; Briyel, Borno State; Gwaram in Jigawa; Jebba, Kwara state and Mashegu, Kontagora in Niger state.
Farinloye appreciated the Flood Early Warning System Central Hub of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja, for sharing the information.
Meanwhile, the Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to revisit the proposed construction of the Dasin Hausa Dam to take in the flood waters from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
The Senate resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion on ‘Urgent Need to Intervene in the Flooding Issues in Sagamu, Ijebu areas of Ogun-East and Edu, Patigi areas of Kwara- Noth and other parts of the country’ sponsored by Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East) and Senator Umar Sadiq Suleiman (Kwara North).
Daniel, in his lead debate, said that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency had forecast that the level of rainfall in 2023 would surpass that of 2022.
According to him, the 2023 annual flood outlook prepared by Nigeria Hydrological Services showed that 178 Local Government Areas in 32 states and the FCT fell within the highly probable flood-risk areas.
He said Lagos, Ogun, and Kwara states, in particular, would witness coastal flooding due to the tidal lock of Ogun River by Lagos Lagoon from a natural rise in sea level, coupled with the possible release of excessive water from the Oyan dam.
