27 states to experience floods in 2015 – NIHSA

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has warned that 27 states across the country may be affected by floods this year.

The agency said 25 states had already experienced different levels of flood, as it advised people living in flood prone areas to evacuate such locations in order to avoid being caught up by flash floods.

NIHSA, in its Annual Flood Outlook for 2015, said findings revealed that most states in Nigeria would be hit by flood this year, as it stressed that the situation may be severe due to the heavy rains experienced in many parts of the country.

The Director-General, NIHSA, Mr. Moses Beckley ,said the rise in sea levels and ocean surges had already caused flooding in some coastal areas.

A flash flood is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas which may be caused by heavy rainfall associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, or melt-water from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields.

The agency, however, regretted that the floods experienced in about 25 states gave 80 per cent accuracy to its earlier prediction, adding that this could have been prevented or further mitigated had land use/town planning were adhered to and drainage systems well maintained.