At Least 3 States To Witness Heavy Flooding This Year

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NHSA) has predicted that regardless there will not be a lot of rain this year, areas located at River Basins, Niger and Benue, Sokoto-Rima, Anambra, Cross River, Niger Delta and several other sub-basins of the country will experience river flooding in 2015.
This was disclosed by the Director General of the NHSA, Moses Beckley in a book presentation titled: ”2015 Annual Flood Outlook” at Abuja yesterday. He said that the country  will witness lower rainfall this year than last year.
Beckley observed that coastal states like Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Lagos are expected to witness coastal flooding as a result of sea level rise and upsurge in tide, while flash flooding and urban flooding are expected in urban areas like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Birnin-Kebbi, Ibadan and other places along the country’s coastal line.
Beckley advised people in the cities against activities that could hinder the smooth flow of rainfall water, which could lead to catastrophic flooding.

A flooded area in Nigeria

He said: “It is a common knowledge that the devastation caused by the floods have been exacerbated by low level of awareness of the consequential effects of human activities on drainage systems, blocking with refuse, flood plains such as erection of structures on flood plains and illegal building of residential structures on water ways, and other low lying area not planned or earmarked for residential buildings.”
Climate change and the associated extreme weather are global phenomena which now occur with increasing frequency and intensity.