The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has called on Nigerians to take precautions during this rainy season in order to avoid another likely flood disaster in the country from the end of this month.
The agency, which says it is monitoring the amount of rainfall in the country to avert the type of disaster that occurred in 2012, cautioned that the soil moisture has started gathering in vulnerable areas.
Speaking while evaluating the update on the 2013 rainfall pattern in the country from January to May 2013, Anthony Anuforom, director-general, NIMET, said the rainfall has not stabilised in some areas as the on-set dates have not been attained, adding that rainy season will start fully in late June in some of these areas.
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He said “the soil moisture that was showing water deficit was a sign of this”.
He called on Nigerians to ensure that drainage systems were cleared of debris for easy flow of water to ensure that there will be no barriers in the water channels.
Anuforom explained that from January to May in the last 30 years, reports have shown that there were slightly higher rains than normal, adding that more rains have been recorded this year than last year in some areas like Abeokuta, Calabar, Ijebu Ode, Lokoja, among others.
The NIMET boss disclosed that in Ogun and Calabar that the soil moisture was becoming saturated.
“Most of the areas we have slightly higher rains than normal, higher than what happened last year. Of course in other areas like Ilorin and Jos, the amount of rainfall is lower from what we had last year.”
