The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Umar Mohammed, has warned that more heavy rainfall and flooding are expected across the country over the next 12 weeks, cautioning that the situation could worsen if urgent preventive measures are not taken.
Mohammed said the devastating floods recorded last week in Lagos State and several other parts of the country were anticipated, noting that the agency had issued forecasts and early warnings ahead of the incidents.
According to him, NiHSA used multiple forecasting models to predict the floods but its warnings were largely ignored.
“This is something we foresaw. We saw it coming,” he said.
He warned that the country is only at the beginning of the peak rainy season and that heavier rainfall is expected between July and September.
“As we speak now, with the flooding happening, if nothing is done, this is just the start of the rainy season. Between July and September, which is about 12 weeks, the situation could be worse than what we are seeing now.
“We expect the flooding to intensify around August and September, particularly in August,” Mohammed said.
The NiHSA boss also expressed concern over the impact of flooding on public health, warning that floodwaters could contaminate drinking water sources in affected communities and increase the risk of waterborne diseases.
His warning comes after torrential rainfall battered Lagos on Tuesday, following days of sustained downpours that began on Sunday.
The rainfall, which lasted for more than 12 hours, submerged homes, roads and businesses, disrupted commercial activities and brought traffic to a standstill across many parts of the state.
Motorists and commuters were stranded for hours, while many residents struggled to evacuate floodwater from their homes.
The severity of the flooding also prompted many parents and guardians to keep their children at home over safety concerns.
Areas worst affected included the Lagos-Oshodi Expressway, Abeokuta Expressway around Oshodi Bus Stop, Lekki-Epe Expressway and surrounding communities, Victoria Island, Agege, Ikeja, Oworonsoki, Gbagada, Funsho Williams Avenue, Iwaya in Yaba, Lagos Mainland Local Government Area and several other low-lying coastal communities.
