The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has warned that flooding in several parts of the country could continue through September, with the most severe impact expected between August and September if preventive measures are not urgently implemented.
The agency’s Director-General, Umar Mohammed, said current flooding aligns with forecasts already issued by NiHSA, stressing that the ongoing incidents mark only the early stages of the rainy season.
Speaking through the agency’s Head of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing, Emmanuel Tuna, Mohammed said the warning signs had been identified well in advance.
“This is something we foresaw; we saw it coming,” he said.
He explained that the period between July and September remains the most critical phase of the rainy season, warning that communities already experiencing floods could face even greater challenges in the coming weeks.
“As we speak now, with the flooding happening, if nothing is done, this is just the start of the rainy season. It could be worse than what is even happening right now, and we’re expecting it to be worse around August and September, particularly August-September,” Mohammed said.
Beyond the immediate destruction of homes, roads and farmlands, the NiHSA boss expressed concern over the impact of flooding on access to safe drinking water.
He noted that contaminated water sources could trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases, posing additional health risks to affected communities, especially vulnerable populations.
The agency urged federal, state and local governments, as well as residents in flood-prone areas, to take early precautionary measures, including clearing drainage channels, relocating from high-risk locations where necessary and complying with flood advisories.
NiHSA has consistently issued seasonal flood outlooks to help authorities and communities prepare for heavy rainfall and reduce the loss of lives, property and livelihoods during the annual rainy season.
