Anger, sorrow and anxiety have gripped communities across the country as torrential rainfall and flooding killed residents, displaced families, submerged homes, destroyed roads and other infrastructure and disrupted economic activities.
From the North to the South, floods have affected several communities, forcing residents to abandon their homes while farmers, traders, and business owners have suffered significant losses.
In some areas, roads and bridges were washed away, cutting off communities and disrupting transportation, while schools and health facilities were also affected.
This came after the Nigerian Meteorological Agency warned of more rain in the days ahead.
A NiMet official noted that Nigeria was still within the rainy season, which was currently at its peak in the central and southern states.
He said the agency’s seasonal forecast did not indicate that rainfall would end before September, urging residents to pay attention to its daily weather forecasts.
“We are still within the rainy season. We give daily weather forecasts; we are in September, and if you check our seasonal forecast. We didn’t say the rain is going to stop before September. So we are at the peak of the rainy season, particularly in the central and southern states. So we will keep getting this rainfall as the ITD continues its southward movement with Zone C.
‘’Basically, central states and parts of the southern states are under Zone C now. So we will be having this heavy rainfall, evening rainfall as the days progress. So just pay attention to our forecast,” the official said.
The agency added that it would continue monitoring weather conditions and issuing regular forecasts to alert the public to possible heavy rainfall.
The Head of Media and Public Relations, NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel, disclosed that the agency has deployed rescue teams to flood-affected states following fresh flooding incidents, as authorities intensify efforts to protect communities and respond to emergencies across the country.
Ezekiel said that although the flood situation was not as terrible as it was at the same period last year, the agency would not lower its guard as the rainy season was still ongoing.
“So far, the records are better than incidents of last year. But we are not lowering our guard yet, because the season is still on,” he said.
He explained that following a flood alert issued last week, the Director-General of NEMA had activated all operational offices to prepare for possible deployment.
“Last week there was an alert, and following that alert, the DG NEMA has activated all the operational offices to be on alert for deployment. So, that is not to say that the flood season is over,” he added.
