The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency on Thursday warned of more flooding in some states in the North and some southern coastal cities.
The agency said this in a flood alert signed by the Director, Engineering Hydrology, Mr Clement Nze.
It warned states and communities by the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue and their floodplains, that there had been systematic daily rise in the water levels on both rivers.
The agency, in the flood alert, said that records from its measuring stations in Lokoja (River Niger) and Makurdi (River Benue) clearly showed that the water level was rising.
This situation, it noted, called for watchfulness on the part of the riparian states as there was still the likelihood of occurrence of river flooding.
Already, it said Shiroro Dam had joined Kainji and Jebba dams in spilling water, noting that this had contributed to the steady rise in the water level.
It said states that were contiguous to Rivers Niger and Benue should be on alert in the event of river flooding.
The states are Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, Anambra, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Taraba and Benue.
It said, “As at today, our hydrological measuring station downstream the confluence in Lokoja recorded a stage height of 9.89m and a discharge value of 21,326 cubic metres/second as against lower values of 9.43m and 19,762 cubic metres/second recorded on the corresponding date of 06-09-2012.
“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.
“For the records, it was on 29-09-2012 that the maximum flood level of 12.840m and the corresponding discharge of 31,692 cubic metres/second were recorded at our station in Lokoja, downstream the confluence in 2012.”
By the 2018 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction released earlier in the year, according to him, September 28 is the earliest cessation date of rainfall in Sokoto and Katsina, while December is the earliest cessation date for the southern coastal cities.
The implication of this is that the northern part of the country should be expecting more rains in the next three weeks.
He said, “High flows are still being expected from the upper catchment of the Niger Basin.
“The River Benue is equally rising, though the level of water as at today has not attained the level witnessed at this time in 2012.”
It said that flood in some cities and communities in the country were expected to continue due to high rainfall intensity of shorter duration, rainstorms, blockage of drainage system and poor urban planning, as well as coastal flooding resulting from sea rise and storm surges.
It called on states and local governments to remove structures built within the floodplains, clear blocked drainages, culverts and other waterways.
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