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Nigeria

Nigeria: Floods Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) DREF n° MDRNG028

Attachments

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

Arising from high-water levels in rivers Niger and Benue and heavy rainfall, Cross River, Kogi, Niger, and Taraba States have experienced flooding from 21 to 27th September 2019. On the 21st and 22nd September, there was a high peak (see Figure 1) in the water levels for River Niger and Benue which affected some communities in the above-mentioned States. Indeed, some 18,640 people (3,104 households) are affected by these floods in 54 communities while some 4,485 people (746 households) are currently displaced due to the flood waters. Following these floods, the State Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) was activated on the 22nd September 2019. According to the State Coordinator of the State SEMA, seven Local Government Areas (LGAs) located along Rivers Niger and Benue have been severely affected with over 90 percent of Ibaji community been fully submerged. Over twenty camps have been set up for the flood affected households. Table 1 indicates the number of flood-affected individuals for each state due to river flooding.

To note, since June 2019, torrential rainfalls and flash floods have hit 124 Local Government Areas within 36 states and Federal Capital Territory – Abuja (FCT) in Nigeria. This has affected a total number of 210,117 people with 171 casualties recorded in hospital and 130,610 people reported to be displaced. Flash floods are due to the high intensity of the rainfalls at the peak of the flood season which is experienced in places that are flood prone. The floods have been widespread with the worst impacting some states within the six geo-political zones in Nigeria; North West (5 states), North Central (7 states), North East (5 states), South East (5 states), South-South (5 states) in South West (4 states) totalling 32 states severely affected (out of 36 states of Nigeria and FCT).

Prior to the floods, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), a Federal Government Agency under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources released its annual flood outlook in July, detailing that, seventy-four (74) LGAs in 30 States in Nigeria are likely to experience severe flooding between July to September 2019.

Based on the OCHA Flood Situation Report No.2, the North-East Nigeria (Adamawa, Borno and Yobe) have had a total of 21,056 households (HH) residing in IDPs camps and host communities affected by the floods; Adamawa (5,454 HH), Borno (10,757 HH) and Yobe (4,845 HH). There have been joint area-based needs assessments and emergency response actions, with support provided by various aid agencies to 2,360 HHs. Some of the assessments reveal that the flood-affected require emergency shelter, household supplies, health services, water facilities (amongst others).

The Niger Basin Authority in the Niger Republic have informed NIHSA that the Niger river levels are now in the ‘red alert zone’. This zone is defined by water levels reaching (or above) 6.20 m. This is illustrated in the Comparative Hydrograph of River Niger at Lokoja at 26th September the water levels are at 10.50 m. It is anticipated that water from the Niger Republic will arrive in Nigeria through Kebbi state and reach Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Kogi and Kwara states.