Nigeria Braces for Flooding as Cameroon Opens Lagdo Dam

A flood warning has been issued in Nigeria, affecting at least 11 states along the River Benue, as neighboring Cameroon begins releasing water from its Lagdo dam. The affected regions include the North East, North Central, South, and South East, where communities are advised to be on high alert.

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According to Umar Ibrahim Mohammed, Director General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), the water release started on September 17 and is expected to course down to River Benue in central Nigeria. Mohammed urged states near the river Benue system to "step up vigilance and deploy adequate preparedness measures to reduce possible impacts of flooding."

Affected Regions:

North East: States along the River Benue are at risk of flooding

North Central: Communities near the river are advised to be on high alert

South: Flooding expected in coastal regions

South East: Riverine communities at risk of flooding

Photo credit:Vanguard News

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has been preparing for potential flooding, with spokesman Ezekiel Manzo stating that they've been warning the affected states ¹. Google's Flood Hub projection application also indicates that communities along the river in southeastern and north-central regions are in danger of floods.

This is not the first time Cameroon's dam release has caused flooding in Nigeria. In 2022, over 500 people died, and 1.4 million were displaced in the country's worst floods in a decade ¹. As of September 18, this year's floods have claimed 285 lives and displaced over 640,000 people, with 127,500 hectares of farmlands affected.

Nigerian authorities are working to mitigate the impact of the flooding, but residents are advised to take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.