The heavy rainfall can cause flash flooding, riverine flooding, soil erosion, thunder and lightning, and strong winds
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) says moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over parts of several states in Nigeria on Tuesday.
Heavy rainfall is expected from the early hours of Tuesday in parts of Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and Borno states, NiMet said in a multi-hazard forecast on Monday.
During the forecast period, 24 hours of accumulated rainfall is very likely, NiMet noted, adding that extreme heavy rainfall can cause flash flooding, riverine flooding, soil erosion, thunder and lightning, and strong winds.
The agency warned that this heavy rainfall can result in large-scale displacement of people due to floods, outbreaks of waterborne diseases, damages to infrastructure (roads, bridges, ...), loss of lives, injuries, reduction of visibility and interruption of vehicular traffic.
To avoid these hazards, NiMet calls for Civil Protection Service and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) authorities to activate contingency plans for disaster preparedness and emergency response (awareness, assistance to victims, search & rescue operations), and be in close touch with National Hydrological Meteorological Services (NHMS) for further accuracy at the national level.
Furthermore, low to moderate rainfall is expected over the FCT, Plateau, Bauchi, Kwara, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Kogi, Nasarawa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Taraba State.
On Wednesday, there are chances of moderate to heavy rainfall over parts of Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Anambra, Imo, Rivers, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and Cross River State.
Low to moderate rainfall should be expected over the FCT, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Kogi and Adamawa states on Wednesday.
On Thursday, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over parts of Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Kogi, the FCT, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, Rivers, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River, Benue, Taraba and Adamawa states.
Meanwhile, low to moderate rainfall is anticipated over Niger, Kwara, Bauchi and Gombe State.
But elsewhere, there is little or no risk of hydrometeorological hazard.
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Due to the low to moderate temperatures that are anticipated, NiMEt projects very little or no chance of temperature-related hazards across the country on Tuesday.
In the next three days, especially on Thursday, NiMet said, there are chances of very strong winds to affect the extreme northern parts of the country (Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Borno states).
Strong winds are also anticipated over parts of the Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna, the FCT, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and Adamawa State, NiMet said.
"High risk of Hazards due to strong winds is very likely in these locations over the next three days.
"The strong winds can cause large scale damages to weak structures, felling of trees, disruption of vehicular movement due to blockage of roads, displacement of people due to damages to buildings," NiMet said.
The agency called for improved disaster management during strong winds. Authorities are advised to be ready to take adequate actions and to be continuously in touch with National Hydrological Meteorological Services to be informed of the detailed expected meteorological conditions.
