…. Says 600 killed, 569,000 hectares of farm lands lost to flooding in 2022
Nigeria Metrological Agency has informed Nigerians especially residents of Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers states to expect first rains as from 2nd March, 2023 just as inland cities of the South are likely to experience rains in April while central states are likely to witness theirs in April.
The Agency further reported that northern states will experience rains as from June and July with states in Northern fringes of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno states between 20th June and July 7, 2023.
It lamented that when everyone thought that the 2012 flooding would have no equal, the country witnessed the worst rain disaster in 2022 as 600 persons were killed, 569,000 hectares of farm lands were washes away and 1.3million persons in 34 out of 36 states were displaced across the country.
Director General of NiMET, Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja during the unveiling of the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) timetable with theme: Strengthening Climate Risk Early Warning Services for Improved Food Security and Disaster Risk Reduction in Nigeria which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
According to Matazu, the 2023 onset is predicted to be earlier than normal in most parts of the country except for some parts of Katsina, Zamfara, Kano Jigawa, Yobe in the north and Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo and Rivers in the South that are likely to experience a delayed onset when compared to the long-term averages in the areas.
“The prediction shows that the earliest rains will likely occur on or around the 2nd of March, 2023 in the coastal zones of South South states of Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers state.
“The onset date are expected to increase latitudinally with the ITD northward oscillation as the year progresses. The inland cities of the South are therefore likely to have onset in April while areas around the central states are likely to have onset in May.
“The extreme northern states are predicted to have onset between June and July, with the Northern fringes of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno states predicted to likely have onset between 20th June and 7th July of 2023”.
In his goodwill message, President of Farmers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Farouk Rabiu Mudi praised the management of NiMET for its informative weather forecast. He said that it has helped farmers to reduce loses and increase yield as it provides timely information to farmers on when to plant.
He said, “Nigerians were shocked from the devastating effect of flooding last year. Farmers are not getting value for product because we are not producing enough. If we don’t listen to NiMET, we are doomed”.
He advised farmers to take all he information from NiMET seriously if they hope to improve their yield and avoid loses to flooding and climate change.
Adding his voice, Director General of FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), DR Abbas Idris in his submission, explained that the seasonal climate prediction by NiMET is assisting its organization to assess the impact of climate hazard in the FCT.
“FCT is the only territory that did not witness any death last year’s because of the prediction on weather focus we recieve daily from NiMET. On daily bases, we harvest the information we get from NiMET daily and use our volunteers to get the information across to the farmers to reduce loses and increase productivity”.
The Director General of Nigeria Hydrology Services Agency (NiHSA) Clement Onyeaso Nze in his goodwill message said that NiMET has recorded steady improvement in their operations. He appealed to recipients of the predictions to abide by it because according to him, the President is concerned about the loss of over 600 lives to the 2022 flooding just as Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confessed that the climate predictions has enhanced preparedness of the Agency towards timely response to early warning for disaster risk management.
He described the 2022 flood disaster is a wakeup call for more inter-agency collaboration in emergency and disaster management.
