FG warns 915 communities across 19 states, FCT of critical flood risk

The federal government has placed 915 communities across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory on critical flood-risk watch between August 27 and September 9.

The warning was contained in the latest flood-risk advisory issued by the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre.

The affected communities were classified as requiring immediate monitoring, preparedness and protective action as the government warned of possible flooding arising from increased soil moisture, rainfall, rapid surface runoff, drainage surcharge and rising river levels.

The 19 states identified as being at critical risk are Kogi, Benue, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.

Major cities and communities listed under the critical-risk category include Lokoja, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Benin City, Asaba, Calabar, Yenagoa, Uyo, Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Lagos Island, Abeokuta, Akure, Osogbo and Ibadan.

The advisory, signed by the Director of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, also classified 429 communities in seven states as high risk, while 656 communities across 13 states were placed on moderate-risk watch.

States with communities on the high-risk list are Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba and Kebbi.

The FCT, alongside communities in Nasarawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna, was placed on moderate-risk watch.

Bokani urged residents in the critical-risk areas to maintain an immediate flood watch and confirm evacuation routes in preparation for possible emergencies.