THE Weather Forecasting Service Office of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Abuja, has faulted reports credited to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warning residents in the southern parts of the country to prepare for heavy and potentially dangerous rainfall.
NEMA, on Monday, said it was issuing the latest early warning based on alerts received from the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) based in Niamey, Niger Republic. The centre issued the warning on Monday evening to countries in the Central, East and West African sub-regions.
But when contacted Wednesday, the Director Weather Forecasting Service Office of NIMET, Abuja, Mr. Ifeanyi Nnodu, told The Guardian: "It is wrong. Their interpretation of the data from the ACMAD based in Niamey, Niger Republic is wrong.
"NEMA does have the capacity to interpret such data. We are not having any flood threat this week for that area. We are presently analyzing the data from the Centre. We are going to make public our findings tomorrow (today)."
According to the 2013 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) for Nigeria presented by the Director General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), John Shamonda, in April 2013, apart from Ekiti, Enugu, Katsina, Imo, Abia states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), all other states in Nigeria will experience a devastating flood this year.
The states are Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Rivers, Taraba, Plateau, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Niger, Nasarawa, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi, Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Gombe, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Cross River, Benue, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, and Adamawa.
Shamonda said efforts were being geared towards ensuring that the effect was less felt in these areas. The DG explained that 156 councils would experience the devastating flood, while other areas might not be affected at all.
Last year, similar severe weather caused unprecedented flooding in the southern part of the country, resulting in many places washed away and many people losing their homes.
In Nigeria, Lagos and its environs are expected to experience heavy torrential rainfall and the advisory means that all residents must take precautions.
The Guardian