By Gabriel Ewepu

AS the first rains of 2025 begin in line with the prediction of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMET, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation will soon unveil its 2025 Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, in a move that would show the rainfall patterns, water levels, impacts, states and local government areas to be affected.

The impact of the 2024 floods is yet to be forgotten as floods wreaked havoc, claiming about 465 lives and injuring 2,712 others.

The 2024 floods also affected over 1.2 million people across 31 states, with 180 local government areas severely impacted.

Battered states include Borno, Bauchi, Benue, Adamawa, Kebbi, Anambra, Lagos, Bayelsa, Delta, Niger, and Kogi.

Meanwhile, Alau Dam in Borno State on September 10, 2024, burst, thus aggravating the disaster and killing about 150 people while displacing over 419,000 others.

The situation led to humanitarian crisis in Borno, which attracted national and global attention to salvage the lives of survivors.

Also, Bauchi State had its fair share of the 2024 flood disaster that killed 24 people, injured 163 while over 122,000 persons were displaced.

The economic impact of the floods was huge as many businesses were crippled while homes and farmlands with crops and livestock as well as infrastructures adversely affected.

Speaking with Sunday Vanguard, environmentalists and human rights organizations, in this report, called on the government and Nigerians to be proactive ahead of the 2025 rains and floods and avoid being caught up in looming disaster.

They also urged citizens to be responsible and do the needful by leaving flood plains and lowlands early enough for higher grounds.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/after-floods-claimed-465-lives-injured-2712-others-fresh-threat-looms-experts-warn/