The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has hinted that the scorching heat being experienced in parts of the country may last till next month.
The phenomenon is rated the highest in the last two years and bears semblance of similar ones witnessed twice in early 70s and late 90s, a development that officials had described as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘second to none.’
The transition between the traditional dry and rainy seasons notwithstanding, it is held that the situation remained abnormal.
Though some parts of the country witnessed their first rainfall Friday night, but experts say the rain will only cool the temperature a bit, but not enough to stop the severe heat.
NIMET’s General Manager, Climate Services, Joseph Alozie, confirmed to The Guardian that the intense heat was part of the impact of global warming.
“It is the highest we are getting in the last two years,” he said.
Meanwhile, the agency, will tomorrow, release the Seasonal Rainfall President (SRP) for 2016. The prediction is done yearly and released early in the year.
Its Director General, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, told The Guardian that the move was in fulfilment of NIMET’s mandate to provide relevant meteorological information, forecasts, advisory and early warnings to ensure informed decisions in all climate and weather-sensitive sectors of the economy.
However, there is growing apprehension among the populace about the lack of information from the Federal Ministry of Environment and relevant government offices on how to cope with the current scorching heat.
Heat waves, like the subsisting one, usually come with high incidents of meningitis, measles and other heat-related illness.
According to a stakeholder: “There is hardly any useful information or enlightenment on the course of the heat and how people can cope with it.”
The fears are heightened by the recent case in South Africa where episodes of heat wave this January killed over 11 persons.
“During the South African situation, there were restrictions on sprinkler system use for gardens between 6am and 6pm.These are the kind of advice the Federal Ministry of Environment or appropriate Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should be making,” the stakeholder added.
