15 states at risk of flooding, says NASRDA

*Lagos, Edo, Rivers, Plateau to be affected

Unless federal and state governments evacuate households and farmlands in identified areas, millions of people in 15 states are at risk of flooding any moment now.

Also, over two million hectares of land are at risk with potential impact on agriculture and settlements displacement, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) yesterday warned.

This followed data and analysis of satellite images obtained from Nigeriasat-2, Nigeriasat-X and shuttle radar topography missions, officials said.

Head of Media and Corporate Communications at the Agency, Dr. Felix Ale said in Abuja that a preliminary research and analysis identified Taraba, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa, Lagos, Sokoto, Kano and Niger as risk zones.

Ale said: “In the investigation, the NASRDA developed a geospatial information system depicting the areas that are at risk of flooding across the nation.

“Against this background, the NASRDA hereby appeals to the affected state governments to urgently put in place adequate measures for the relocation of communities in the flood plain areas in their respective states to high grounds in order to mitigate the colossal loss of lives and to prevent a repeat of the 2012 experience.

“The NASRDA has also developed a digital terrain model to identify areas of high grounds for potential relocation of affected communities.