The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has urged states along the Benue River to heighten their vigilance due to the planned release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, signed by NIHSA’s Director General, Umar Ibrahim Mohamed, the agency identified the states likely to be impacted by the water release: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.
NIHSA also called on all levels of government to implement preventive measures to mitigate potential flooding from rising river levels during this period.
According to the statement, the water release will start at 100 cubic meters per second (8.64 million cubic meters per day) and may increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second over the next week, depending on inflows from the upstream Garoua River, a key contributor to the Benue River.
Cameroonian authorities assured NIHSA that the releases will be regulated to prevent overwhelming the Benue River and triggering major downstream flooding in Nigeria. The controlled releases will cease when inflows into the Lagdo reservoir decrease.
NIHSA stressed that there is no immediate cause for alarm, as significant flooding is not expected, and current water levels along the Benue River remain safe.
The agency also promised continuous monitoring of water levels and regular updates to prevent flood-related disasters.
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