ABUJA, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria on Wednesday issued an alert over possible flooding due to the high intensity of rainfall across the country.
As a result, the country's hydrological body called on states to prepare for more flooding by next month.
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, which is responsible for issuing flood alerts in the country, said some state governments had failed to heed its previous warnings on floods released earlier this year.
The warning became imperative due to the flooding incidents being experienced in some parts of the country, said Clement Eze, head of the hydrological body.
River flooding, as well as coastal flooding, is expected to come into place as the country approaches the peak of the rainy season, Eze told media in Abuja.
"The localized urban flooding incidents being witnessed in some cities and communities in the country are expected to continue," Eze said.
He said the flooding incidents are due to high rainfall intensity of long duration, rainstorms, blockage of drainage systems and poor urban planning resulting in the erection of structures within the floodplains and waterways.
The official called on state governments to pull down structures built on floodplains.
The flooding expected next month will come as a result of an increase in the water from River Niger and River Benue, he said.
This year, Nigeria's 36 states and the federal capital territory, Abuja, would witness different levels of flooding, the hydrological body predicted.
One of the worst floods in recent years happened in March 2012 when 32 of Nigeria's 36 states were affected, 24 severely. More than 360 people were killed and almost 2 million people displaced.
