NIMET Warns On Flooding In Bauchi, Gombe, Jos, Kaduna

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) yesterday warned against imminent flooding in parts of the north, especially Bauchi, Gombe, Jos and Kaduna.
The NIMET Director-General, Dr Anthony Anuforom, gave the warning when he briefed aviation correspondents on the evaluation of the NIMET 2013 Rainfall Predictions in the country in Abuja.
He also warned other parts of the country, especially the South-West to take precaution against winds and thunders storms.
Anuforom said the flooding would come as a result of the increased in the saturated numbers of rain and drought experienced in the areas in the past few months.
According to him, it is important for the people living in these areas to take precaution in order to save lives and property.
He said Little Dry Season (LDS) also known as ‘August Break’ was very pronounced in 2013 in the South-West more than the way it was in 2012.
He said the August break came a bit early in July in 2012, while it came exactly in August in 2013.
The director-general added that in the last 20-years, the LDS had been limited mostly to the South-West and lasted only two weeks every year.
He said during these years, the onset also shifted backwards to second week in July, but in 2013, it returned to the known pattern of four weeks in August.
“This explains the low rainfall experienced in South-West in August, rains will return in the South-West in line with the known pattern of having the second peak of rainy season in September.
“Rains will also continue in the north as the active weather zones still covers the entire country.
“Bauchi, Gombe, Jos, Kaduna axis are already saturated and any heavy rain as experienced in the last few days could result in flooding,’’ he warned.