The Federal Government has issued an alert regarding the release of water from the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.
This was disclosed on Tuesday in a statement by Umar Muhammed, the Director-General/CEO of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
According to the statement, the dam authorities will begin controlled water releases starting September 17, 2024, with the discharge rate expected to gradually increase to 1000 cubic meters per second (m³/s) over the next seven days, depending on inflows from the Garoua River, a key tributary of the Benue River.
The statement read: “The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency wishes to inform the public that the authorities of the Lagdo dam in Cameroon have communicated their decision to initiate controlled water releases at a rate of 100 m³/s (8,640,000 m³/day) starting from today, September 17, 2024.
“The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000 m³/s over the next seven days based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which serves as the primary source into the reservoir and a significant tributary to the Benue River.”
The agency emphasized that the water release would be gradual to prevent exceeding the Benue River’s capacity, which could lead to severe flooding downstream. It also stated that the overflow would stop once inflows into the Lagdo reservoir decrease.
Despite the water release, the agency assured the public that major flooding downstream is unlikely as the water levels in the Benue River remain within cautionary limits.
However, it urged states along the Benue River , Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross-River, and Rivers , as well as all levels of government, to remain vigilant and take preventive measures to mitigate any potential flood risks.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to closely monitoring the flow of the Benue River and other national rivers, providing regular updates to prevent flood disasters.
