The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has called on states situated along the Benue River to heighten their vigilance in response to the planned water release from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
In a statement released on Tuesday, NIHSA emphasized the importance of preparedness as the dam’s management begins releasing water.
The statement, signed by NIHSA Director General Umar Ibrahim Mohamed, highlighted that the states most likely to be affected include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.
NIHSA urged governments at all levels to implement adequate measures to mitigate potential flooding, as water levels in the river are expected to rise during this period.
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The controlled water release from the Lagdo Dam, as made known by the agency, is scheduled to start today at a rate of 100 cubic meters per second (8.64 million cubic meters per day) and is expected to increase gradually to 1,000 cubic meters per second over the next seven days, depending on inflows from the upstream Garoua River.
Cameroonian authorities have assured NIHSA that the release will be regulated to prevent exceeding the capacity of the Benue River, reducing the risk of major flooding downstream.
Stating that, the release will be halted once inflows into the Lagdo reservoir decrease.
NIHSA has reassured the public that there is no immediate cause for alarm, noting that water levels in the Benue River remain within safe limits.
The agency, as stated in the release, will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide regular updates on water levels to prevent any potential flood disasters.
