By Our Correspondent
AS rains continue to pound parts of the country, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NiHSA, yesterday, warned that heavy flooding will hit 198 local government areas, in 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, from August 7 to 21, 2025.
The warning came as the Lagos State government sympathised with Ikorodu residents affected by the flood occasioned by Monday’s marathon downpour, assuring that necessary measures were in place to effectively manage flash flood and modalities for humanitarian intervention for residents of affected communities are being worked out.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government had on Tuesday, also warned of flooding in 19 states, as the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre of the Federal Ministry of Environment, called on stakeholders and residents to take urgent precautionary measures.
NiHSA in the alert, yesterday, categorised flood risk levels as Very High, High, and Moderate, depending on local topography and rainfall intensity projections.
According to a statement by the agency, affected states include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara
832 communities threatened
The agency also disclosed that over 832 communities are at risk of varying degrees of flooding.
The statement revealed that over 100 major transportation routes are to face possible disruptions, and high likelihood of displacement, especially, in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
Director General of the agency, Umar Mohammed said: “NiHSA urges residents in affected regions to remain vigilant, adhere to early warning directives, and cooperate with emergency response agencies.
“This alert is issued in line with our commitment to safeguarding lives and property.”
He also appealed to affected states and local governments to rise up to the occasion and safeguard the lives of their people
We call on state governments, local authorities, and the public to take proactive measures to mitigate risk and ensure community safety,” Mohammed said.
He assured that the agency will continue to monitor the hydrological situation and provide timely updates as necessary.
He also added that for further information and real-time flood updates, citizens are encouraged to follow NiHSA’s official channels or contact their respective State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs.
Lagos mulls intervention in affected communities
Torrential rainfall on Monday, which lasted for over 13 hours left some parts of Lagos State flooded, while residents continued to count their losses.
Speaking with newsmen after an inter-ministerial, extensive on-the-spot assessment tour on the Ikorodu drainage infrastructure construction, yesterday, Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, said when all the infrastructure construction are completed, it would address the perennial flooding issues in Ikorodu as a whole.
Rotimi-Akodu, explained that the intensity of the rainfall experienced in Lagos on Monday/Tuesday was the type whose magnitude does not occur regularly but can only be experienced in decades.
According to him, “What happened here is from nature, the effects of climate change is real, and that is why we’re all out to see that we ensure the optimal functioning of our resilient infrastructures to tackle these challenges.
“We are here to convey Mr. Governor’s message of sympathy to the people affected through dislocation as well as properties damaged and lost.
We are here to also assess the level of damages and to check how far the on going drainage project has gone and what we can quickly put in place to mitigate the pains and alleviate the problems.”
Rotimi -Akodu, added that the government would ensure that the contractor handling the drainage project expedites work to address the immediate challenges in the areas affected whilst also sticking to the timeliness for the completion of the project, reminding residents that majority of the areas affected are flood plain areas.
The Special Adviser, also advised residents to always display positive attitude towards the environment especially waste disposal by ensuring that waste does not end up in drains.
“We must also ensure that we avoid encroachment on road Infrastructure especially Right of Way, We should be reminded that what goes round comes around. If problem arises from negative human elements, it is going to affect us.”
Also speaking, Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde, said he joined the inspection to the affected areas to carry out a preliminary assessment of what really happened and also gather the right information and statistics to enable government take appropriate humanitarian decisions
Among the places visited include the on-going construction of the Outfall Channel for the ongoing Gberigbe Road Project (One Fold) Outfall which cut across One Fold Community, Okeletu Road, Unity Estate, Gbopa Community, Abule-Eko Community, all in Ijede; ongoing construction of Palm Avenue Collector Drain, Oke-Eletu, Ijede and Igbogbo.
The warning came as the Lagos State government sympathised with Ikorodu residents affected by the flood occasioned by Monday’s marathon downpour, assuring that necessary measures were in place to effectively manage flash flood and modalities for humanitarian intervention for residents of affected communities are being worked out.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government had on Tuesday, also warned of flooding in 19 states, as the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre of the Federal Ministry of Environment, called on stakeholders and residents to take urgent precautionary measures.
NiHSA in the alert, yesterday, categorised flood risk levels as Very High, High, and Moderate, depending on local topography and rainfall intensity projections.
According to a statement by the agency, affected states include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara
832 communities threatened
The agency also disclosed that over 832 communities are at risk of varying degrees of flooding.
The statement revealed that over 100 major transportation routes are to face possible disruptions, and high likelihood of displacement, especially, in low-lying and flood-prone areas.
Director General of the agency, Umar Mohammed said: “NiHSA urges residents in affected regions to remain vigilant, adhere to early warning directives, and cooperate with emergency response agencies.
“This alert is issued in line with our commitment to safeguarding lives and property.”
He also appealed to affected states and local governments to rise up to the occasion and safeguard the lives of their people
We call on state governments, local authorities, and the public to take proactive measures to mitigate risk and ensure community safety,” Mohammed said.
He assured that the agency will continue to monitor the hydrological situation and provide timely updates as necessary.
He also added that for further information and real-time flood updates, citizens are encouraged to follow NiHSA’s official channels or contact their respective State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs.
Lagos mulls intervention in affected communities
Torrential rainfall on Monday, which lasted for over 13 hours left some parts of Lagos State flooded, while residents continued to count their losses.
Speaking with newsmen after an inter-ministerial, extensive on-the-spot assessment tour on the Ikorodu drainage infrastructure construction, yesterday, Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, said when all the infrastructure construction are completed, it would address the perennial flooding issues in Ikorodu as a whole.
Rotimi-Akodu, explained that the intensity of the rainfall experienced in Lagos on Monday/Tuesday was the type whose magnitude does not occur regularly but can only be experienced in decades.
According to him, “What happened here is from nature, the effects of climate change is real, and that is why we’re all out to see that we ensure the optimal functioning of our resilient infrastructures to tackle these challenges.
“We are here to convey Mr. Governor’s message of sympathy to the people affected through dislocation as well as properties damaged and lost.
We are here to also assess the level of damages and to check how far the on going drainage project has gone and what we can quickly put in place to mitigate the pains and alleviate the problems.”
Rotimi -Akodu, added that the government would ensure that the contractor handling the drainage project expedites work to address the immediate challenges in the areas affected whilst also sticking to the timeliness for the completion of the project, reminding residents that majority of the areas affected are flood plain areas.
The Special Adviser, also advised residents to always display positive attitude towards the environment especially waste disposal by ensuring that waste does not end up in drains.
“We must also ensure that we avoid encroachment on road Infrastructure especially Right of Way, We should be reminded that what goes round comes around. If problem arises from negative human elements, it is going to affect us.”
Also speaking, Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Gbenga Oyerinde, said he joined the inspection to the affected areas to carry out a preliminary assessment of what really happened and also gather the right information and statistics to enable government take appropriate humanitarian decisions
Among the places visited include the on-going construction of the Outfall Channel for the ongoing Gberigbe Road Project (One Fold) Outfall which cut across One Fold Community, Okeletu Road, Unity Estate, Gbopa Community, Abule-Eko Community, all in Ijede; ongoing construction of Palm Avenue Collector Drain, Oke-Eletu, Ijede and Igbogbo.
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