Taraba communities submerged amidst new federal flood warning
Seven communities in the Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State have been submerged following heavy downpour on Thursday morning.
Reports say Kunini is the most adversely affected community.
The flooding in Lau LG happened a week after farmlands were submerged in communities across Gassol and Karim-Lamido Local Government Areas.
All the affected communities are located along the River Benue, and several farmlands and residential buildings were affected, displacing hundreds of residents.
READ ALSO:Â Kaduna, Kano, Katsina bolster defenses against predicted flood disasters
Peter Julius, Taraba State Commissioner for Urban and Rural Development and a native of one of the affected communities, described the flooding as unprecedented.
The commissioner said properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, while hundreds of livestock were swept away.
He added that efforts were underway to evacuate women and children from the flooded homes.
Meanwhile, the state government, through the Ministry of Environment, had issued several warnings to residents of riverine areas to relocate due to the impending flood disaster, but many residents reportedly ignored the warnings until the floods struck.
Floods in Nigeria
The 2025 Nigeria floods have been a series of devastating events starting in April 2025, causing significant property damage, fatalities, injuries, and displacement across the country.
The Nigerian federal government has warned that 30 of its 36 states are expected to experience flooding, placing over 1,200 communities at high-risk Last month, devastating floods ravaged Zaria and Sabon-Gari LGAs of Kaduna State, destroying more than 200 houses.
The deadliest single flood event so far in the 2025 Nigeria floods was the Mokwa flood in May, which resulted in at least 500 fatalities. This particular incident occurred in Mokwa, Niger State, following heavy rainfall and the collapse of a nearby dam. In addition to the confirmed deaths, over 600 people were reported missing and presumed dead, 121 were injured, and more than 4,000 individuals were displaced.
Causes of the flooding
Several factors have contributed to the widespread flooding in Nigeria. A significant cause has been the release of water from the Jebba Hydroelectric Power Station dam, which has led to multiple flood events, including one in April that killed at least thirteen people in Niger and Kwara states.
This release also destroyed rice fields and affected over 5,000 dry-season farmers across Niger and Kwara States, impacting over 10,000 hectares of paddy farms in Mokwa alone, with economic losses estimated in the billions of naira.
Other contributing factors include heavy rainfall, poor drainage systems, and weak infrastructure, which are expected to exacerbate flash and urban flooding, particularly in major cities like Lagos. The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has identified Taraba State as one of the most vulnerable to severe flooding in 2025, anticipating weeks of heavier rainfall.
Response and mitigation efforts
In response to the escalating crisis, organizations like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project are coordinating with government agencies and stakeholders to mitigate the disaster, particularly in states like Taraba.
Planned interventions include desilting blocked drainages, relocating residents from high-risk areas, and reinstating monthly environmental sanitation exercises.
The Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is distributing life jackets to riverine communities, mapping vulnerable settlements, and intensifying public sensitization campaigns.
Emergency management agencies and state governments have been urged by NIHSA to activate response plans, and residents in flood-prone areas are advised to prepare for possible evacuation. The public is encouraged to stay informed through NIHSA’s flood dashboard and social media channels.
