The Federal Government has issued a five-day heavy rainfall and flood warning for 19 states and 76 locations across the country, urging residents and stakeholders to take urgent precautionary measures. The warning, issued on Tuesday by the National Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) Centre of the Federal Ministry of Environment, forecasts that the affected areas are expected to experience rainfall likely to cause significant flooding from August 5 to August 9, 2025.
The latest advisory from the FEWS Centre comes amidst recent devastating floods that have already impacted several states. In Ogun State, for example, heavy rainfall led to floodwaters that submerged parts of the Redemption City area, trapping residents and vehicles. In Gombe State, recent downpours resulted in at least four deaths from drowning, primarily among children and teenagers, and caused significant damage to homes and farmlands, according to reports.
The precautionary measures recommended for residents in these high-risk areas include evacuating from floodplains to higher ground, clearing blocked drainage systems and gutters, and avoiding the dumping of refuse in waterways. Other advised actions include preparing an emergency kit, turning off electricity and gas when flooding occurs, and avoiding walking or driving through floodwaters. Parents and guardians are also advised to closely monitor children and prevent them from playing near open water channels or in the rain, a safety measure frequently highlighted by public safety agencies like the police.
Flooding in Nigeria has become a yearly occurrence that claims lives and destroys property. Last year’s floods were particularly severe, affecting 31 states and causing widespread devastation. According to data from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the 2024 floods resulted in over 1,200 deaths, left more than 16,000 people injured, and displaced approximately 1.2 million individuals. The disaster also destroyed over 116,000 houses and submerged nearly 1.44 million hectares of farmland, worsening the humanitarian and economic impact across the country.
The list of affected states and locations for the current warning is extensive and includes Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Cross-River, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Yobe, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno, and Gombe. Authorities have urged residents in all these areas to heed the early warning signs and cooperate with emergency agencies to mitigate potential loss of life and property. The proactive warning is an attempt to prevent a recurrence of the scale of destruction witnessed in previous years.
