Osun, 31 Others Among High Flood Risk Areas In 2023, FG Warns

 

Yusuf Oketola

THE Federal Government has warned that the State of Osun and 31 other states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja are on the high risk of flooding in 2023.

Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu raised the alert at the Annual Flood Outlook organised by the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency, (NIHSA) in Abuja.

Adamu said 178 local government areas in 32 states of the federation and FCT fall within the high flood-risk areas.

He said: “The forecasts for 2023 show that 178 local government areas in 32 states of the Federation and the FCT fall within the high flood risk areas.

“While 224 LGAs in 35 States including FCT, fall within the moderate flood risk areas. The remaining 372 LGAs fall within the low flood-risk areas.

“The high flood risk states are as follows; Adamawa, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross-River, Delta, Ebinyi, Ekiti, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory.

“High flood risk areas between the months of April and November 2023, and the level of floods in this category is expected to be high in terms of impact on the population, agriculture, livelihood, livestock and infrastructure.”

He added that parts of 66 LGAs across the country fall within the highest flood areas in April, May and June while parts of 114 LGAs fall in July, August and September with 100 LGAs falling in October and November 2023.

Adamu maintained the 2022 flood was the worst recorded in the country in terms of impact, as it affected nearly all 36 states, including the FCT with severe devastation and destruction of properties, infrastructures, farmlands, agriculture and livestock.

He stated that over 1.4 million people were affected, 616 persons killed and thousands of people displaced by flood in 2022.