Heavy rainfall that could lead to flooding may hit about 48 towns in 13 states beginning from September 13 to September 17, 2023, the Federal Government announced on Wednesday.
It predicted that the rise in the water levels of River Benue and River Niger could affect communities along the rivers up to Bayelsa State and advised residents in these areas to take precautionary measures.
The government disclosed this in the flood prediction report of the National Flood Early Warning Systems Central Hub of the Federal Ministry of Environment, made available to our correspondent in Abuja.
According to the report, the 13 states to be affected include Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, Kwara, Zamfara, Bauchi, Taraba, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Jigawa and Gombe.
The agency, however, stated that feedback from relevant stakeholders and state government representatives would be highly appreciated.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, had earlier stated on Tuesday that the Federal Government was striving to curtail the excesses of floods caused by heavy rainfall and the recent release of water from dams and rivers.
He urged Nigerians to always implement the recommendations of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, to mitigate the effects of floods, stressing that the government was currently trying to see how to tackle its excesses.
