Major Flood Flash Points In Nigeria

A common environmental problem in Nigeria is flood and it is said to occur when a body of water moves over and above an area of land which is not normally submerged. It could also be seen as the inundation of an area not normally covered with water, through a temporary rise in level of stream, river, lake or sea. In this article, we take a critical look at the top 5 flood flash points in the country.

When we say flood flash points we are talking about areas in the country that are susceptible to flooding naturally.

Flood menace in Nigeria have become a normal and re-occurring phenomenon which sometimes has devastating impacts on human livelihoods and infrastructural development. The impact of flood is more pronounced in low-lying areas.

In more recent years, 2011 and 2012 appears to be the worst incidence of flooding in Nigeria with a lot of reported cases indicating how flood menace ravaged affected states of the country when water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon was released.

Although the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had alerted Nigeria that there would be an above normal rainfall in strategic parts of the country which might lead to flooding incidents in 12 states of the federation, yet nobody gave consent to that warning.

The occurrence of flood represents a major risk to riversides populations and floodplains, in addition to causing substantial impacts on the environment, including aquatic fauna and flora, and bank erosion. Flooding is becoming an increasingly severe and more frequent problem in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, the impact is more felt by the urban poor in such a way that recovery is unlikely to be achieved without external aid (Blaikie, 1994). In other words, urban poor are most vulnerable to impact of flood because they set up homes in the floodplains.

Flooding is one of the most devastating hazards that is likely to increase in many regions of the world partly due to global climate change and poor governance. According to ActionAid (2006) four types of urban flooding can be recognized:

(a) Localized flooding which occurs many times in a year due to few and blocked drains;

(b) Small streams in urban areas rising quickly after heavy rains, but often passing through small culverts under roads;

(c) Major rivers flowing through urban areas;

(d) Wet season flooding in lowland and coastal cities.

According to Gwary (2008) and Adeoti (2010), flooding occurs in Nigeria in three main forms which are: river flooding, urban flooding and coastal flooding.

This article gives an overview of major flood flash points in the country.

Here are the top 5 major Flood flash points in the country:

• Low-lying areas in the southern parts of the nation where annual rainfall is very heavy.
• The Niger Delta zone
• The floodplains of the larger rivers of the Niger, Benue, Taraba, Sokoto, Hadeja, Cross River, Imo, Anambra, Ogun-Osun, Kaduna etc.
• Flat low-lying areas around and to the south of Lake Chad which may be flooded during, and for a few weeks after the rain.
• Ogunpa River, Ibadan.

Niger Delta: Major Flood Flash Point In Nigeria

Because of its disposition as flat, low-lying swampy area of alluvial deposition across which the tributaries of the Niger meander, the Niger Delta is by far the largest single area subject to annual flooding in Nigeria. It is a natural reservoir for the Niger-Benue catchment area and its inefficient outlet to the sea. Its rivers are bordered by levees, and when these rivers are in flood, the levees are overtopped and extensive areas are submerged.

The zone is subject to two types of flood, the floods of the rainy seasons which are the result of rainfall within Nigeria and especially rainfall in the delta area itself which ranges from 2000mm to 4000mm per year and is concentrated in few months.

The other type of flood is the river flood, almost all of which are caused by water coming from as far as the Fouta Djallon Highlands in Guinea. The water is primarily the run off from the previous year’s rainfall on these highlands slowly making its way down to Nigeria.

Almost all parts of the Niger Delta, with exception of the northern parts, suffer flooding at one time of the year or the other. Town, villages and agricultural lands in the Sagbama and Yenagoa areas in Balyesa state are often affected.

Also, often affected are parts of the riverine areas of Edo, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

Flooding in Nigeria is a serious issue requiring the attention of all stake holders aimed at preventing and remedying its adverse effects which threatens human existence.