By Barbara Nwaiwu
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has identified 166 communities in Kaduna State as vulnerable to river flooding, warning of heightened risks of flash and river floods as rainfall reaches its peak.
The warning was issued on Friday, by Mr Yusuf Yakong, Senior Hydrologist with NIHSA, during a joint meeting of the 2026 Flood Strategic and Tactical Response Teams in Kaduna.
Yakong said the alert was based on flood forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and NIHSA, both of which identified Kaduna among states likely to experience flooding during the current rainy season.
According to him, NiMet forecast flash floods in parts of the state, while NIHSA’s flood advisory for July 21st to July 27th placed Kaduna under medium river flood risk.
He disclosed that 166 communities in Lere Local Government Area, 16 schools, three health facilities and three places of worship had been identified as vulnerable to flooding.
Yakong added that NIHSA’s 2026 Annual Flood Outlook had earlier classified 21 local government areas in Kaduna State as flood-prone, underscoring the need for sustained preparedness and early response measures.
“July, August and September are the peak rainfall months. The soil is saturated and river levels are rising, increasing the likelihood of flooding,” he said.
He said the Geographic Information System (GIS) Unit of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was validating the flood risk data before circulating the updated list of vulnerable communities to relevant stakeholders.
Responding, the Director of Relief and Disaster Management at the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Mr Mubarak Zakari, said the agency was operationally ready to respond to any flooding incidents.
“Our priority is to extend preparedness to other flood-prone communities and ensure response teams are fully activated,” he said.
Zakari said KADSEMA had intensified surveillance of vulnerable locations and activated all relevant stakeholders to ensure rapid response where necessary.
He also urged residents of flood-prone communities to comply with official advisories and relocate immediately whenever evacuation became necessary.
