By; Bala B. Bitrus, Minna
Communities living down streems of the three hydro dams in Niger State and those in other floodplains and coastal areas of the state have been asked to relocate from the areas ahead of imminent flood.
The National Meteorological Department had issued early warning signals that twenty six states were likely to be affected by severe flooding this year.
Already some coastal communities and villages on the floodplains of the downstream and upstream areas of the Shiroro Hydro Electric Dam, the Jebba Hydro Dam and the Kainji Dams are being threatened by deluge of water following increase in rainfalls even ahead of the time the authorities of the dams would release excess water from their intake reservoirs.
The federal government has also met with authorities of neighbouring Cameroun, Togo on how to control the water from their dams.
Niger State Government on its part Tuesday pleaded with communities living around the floodplains across the state and particularly those adjourning the hydro dams to move away to safer upland areas in view of the warning issued by the Meteorological Centre earlier last month.
Several tens of villages along the tributaries of the Rivers Niger and Kaduna including Roffia, Akarre, Zungeru, Erena, Galadiman Kogo, Muregyi, Kuta and a host of others are already face to face with flood waters on their backyards.
Several farmlands in most areas of the downstream of the dams are in danger of being flooded if the intensity of the rains increase in the coming weeks as predicted by the Meteorological Centre.
Niger State has in the times past had devastating cases of flooding with the worst being the 2001 massive flood that destroyed lives, livestock, farmlands and many homes.
