The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has issued a weather forecast predicting thunderstorms and rainy weather conditions in Kano and several other states from Tuesday through Thursday.
This advisory, released in Abuja on Monday, warns of potential heavy downpours and strong winds, especially in northern, central, and southern parts of the country.
According to NiMet, thunderstorms are expected to occur in parts of Bauchi, Kebbi, Taraba, Kano, Katsina, Adamawa, and Kaduna states on Tuesday morning.
As the day progresses, the entire northern region is likely to experience thunderstorms.
“In the North Central region, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, and Niger states during the morning hours. Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa states,” NiMet said.
In the central region, NiMet forecasts thunderstorms over Kogi, Benue, Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasarawa, and Niger states during the morning hours on Tuesday. The afternoon is expected to bring further rainfall over the FCT, Kwara, and surrounding areas.
The southern region is also predicted to experience moderate rains across Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Delta, Cross River, and Bayelsa states. NiMet added, “Later in the day, intermittent rains are expected over the entire region.”
NiMet further forecasted that “strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur,” urging the public to “adhere to safety advisories issued by relevant authorities.”
The agency also advised airline operators to get updated weather reports for effective planning in their operations.
NiMet advised residents, especially those in flood-prone areas, to take necessary precautions, as there is a high risk of urban flooding in major cities. The public is encouraged to follow safety advisories from relevant authorities and monitor weather updates through NiMet’s official platforms.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported that severe flooding in Nigeria from April to September 2024 has affected over 1 million people.
According to NEMA’s Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, the floods have displaced approximately 625,239 individuals and resulted in 259 deaths.
Borno State spent N20 million was spent on flood and erosion control in the first half of 2024, representing just 2.45% of the allocated funds. The state received approximately N816.34 million from the Ecological Fund between January and June 2024, marking an 8.89% increase from the previous year. This highlights significant underutilization of resources intended for critical infrastructure, raising concerns about the state’s preparedness for managing environmental challenges.
