Juliet Oladele, Reporting
THE Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has alerted Lagos residents and other coastal states to a heightened risk of flash flooding on Tuesday, June 30, as sustained rainfall batters the southern region.
The warning, contained in NiMet’s Tuesday Weather Outlook, comes following forecasts of widespread rainfall across southern Nigeria throughout the day.
According to the agency, continuous rainfall could trigger flash flooding in coastal and low-lying communities, particularly in Lagos and other states along Nigeria’s southern coastline.
The forecast outlined thunderstorms accompanied by light rainfall over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states during the morning hours.
NiMet added that rainfall would intensify later in the day, with moderate rainfall expected across the entire southern region during the afternoon and evening.
“Southern States: Wet Morning, Heavy Rain Later. Morning: Thunderstorms accompanied by light rainfall are expected over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States,” the agency stated.
“Afternoon/Evening: Moderate rainfall is expected across the entire Southern region, with a high likelihood of flash flooding in coastal areas, especially Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States.”
For the northern region, NiMet forecast morning thunderstorms with moderate rainfall over parts of Borno, Adamawa, and Taraba states, adding that thunderstorms would later extend to parts of Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto, Yobe, Gombe, and Kebbi states.
Across the North Central region, the agency predicted predominantly cloudy conditions in the morning, with chances of thunderstorms accompanied by light rainfall over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, and Benue states, before thunderstorms with moderate rainfall sweep across the region during the afternoon and evening.
NiMet urged residents in affected areas to monitor weather conditions and remain alert as rainfall intensifies during the day.
The agency advised residents to exercise caution, warning that strong winds may precede thunderstorms. Motorists were urged to drive carefully during rainfall and periods of poor visibility, whilst residents were warned against driving or walking through floodwaters and advised to avoid taking shelter under tall trees during thunderstorms because of the risk of lightning strikes.
For the aviation sector, NiMet advised airline operators to obtain airport-specific weather reports to support safe and efficient flight operations, stating that adherence to these safety measures will help reduce risks associated with severe weather conditions.
