From Charity Nwakaudu Abuja
As flood-prone States and Local Government Areas get apprehensive about devastating floods, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, has revealed that the release of water from Lagdo Dam will last for seven days.
A statement by the Director General, NIHSA, Umar Ibrahim Mohammed in Abuja, urged all states contiguous to the river Bnue system, to step up vigilance and deploy adequate preparedness measures to reduce possible impacts of flooding.
According to the statement the states involved are Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross-Rivers and Rivers.
The statement stressed that the dam managers planned water releases will be gradual so as not to exceed the conveyance capacity of the Benue river system and cause major flooding downstream Nigeria.
“The spilling of waters from Lagdo dam is expected to stop as soon as there is noticeable decrease in flow into the Lagdoe rservoir”
It assured Nigerians that it will continue to monitor closely the flow situation of the trans-boundary river Benue and the national inland rivers and steadily provide regular updates on water levels across major rivers to forestall further flood disasters.
“The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) wishes to inform the general publication that the Authority of Lagdo dam in Cameroon have informed the Agency”
The statement further stated that there is no cause for alarm as major flooding are not expected downstream Nigeria, as the flow levels along the river Benue are stilli within the warning levels.
The statement therefore promised to continue to monitor closely the flow situation of the transboundary river Benue and the national inland rivers and steadily provide regular updates on water levels across major rivers to forestall further flood disasters.
