Fourteen states have been pinpointed as states to be ravaged by floods between now and the 19th of August 2012. This was contained in a statement issued by the Deputy Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department of the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Morohunkeji Oyeleke.
The states are Adamawa, Plateau, Sokoto, Jigawa, Borno and Gombe states. Others include Kebbi, Yobe, Taraba, Oyo, Zamfara and Kano states.
Bauchi and Katsina were also listed amongst the forewarned flood prone states.
The Ministry listed Demsa, Numan, Jimeta, Mayo Belwa, Mubi and Song, all in Adamawa state; and Langtang, Shelleng, Shandam and Wase in Plateau state.
Others are Gada, Goronyo and Shinkafi in Sokoto State; Gumel, Hadeija, Miga and Mallam Fatori in Jigawa state; as well as Bama, Briyel, Damasak, Dikwa, Geidam, Ngala, and Kukawa in Borno State.
She also listed Nafada in Gombe State; Anka, Bagudo, Birnin-Kebbi, Bungudu, Bunza, Gwandu, Jega and Kamba, all in Kebbi State.
Also listed among the flood prone areas were Gashua, Potiskum, Dapchi, Kanama and Machina in Yobe State; and Bali, Gembu, Ibi, Lau, Wukari and Mutum Biyu in Taraba State.
Also to be affected are Apata, Bodija, Challenge, Moniya, Ojoo, Eruwa, Odo Ora, Ibadan and Oyo town, all in Oyo State and Kaura, Maru, Gusau; and Namoda in Zamfara State.
Others are Gezawa, Gwarzo, Karaye, Wudil and Kano, all in Kano State; and Azare, Bajoga, Jamaare, Kari and Tafawa Balewa in Bauchi State; and Bakori, Bindawa, Daura, Jibiya and Katsina and Funtua, all in Kastina State.
Oyeleke therefore called on governments of the affected states to take precautionary measures to avoid loss of lives and property.
The North Eastern part of the country is the most affected as all the states-Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Bauchi- were all listed. Kaduna state is the only state spared from the North West and Oyo state is the sole representative of the South West while Plateau that of the North Central.
Missing from the list is Lagos, a state that has suffered from flooding in recent years during the raining season.
