Natural disasters in Nigeria: Difference between revisions

Natural disasters in Nigeria are mainly related to the climate of Nigeria, which has been reported to cause loss of lives and properties. A natural disaster might be caused by flooding, landslides, and insect infestation, among others. To be classified as a disaster, there needs to be a profound environmental effect or human loss and must lead to financial loss. This occurrence has become an issue of concern, threatening large populations living in diverse environments in recent years.

Nigeria has encountered several forms of disaster, which range from flooding, soil and coastal erosion, landslides, tidal waves, coastal erosion, sand-storms, oil spillage, locust/insect infestations, and other man-made disasters. It can be said that the country's under protected and expansive environment contributed to making the people especially vulnerable to these disasters. Other dangers include northern dust storms, which is usually from northern states to southern; causing damages through large deposits of dust and dirt from these regions. Hail is another cause, which rarely occurs in parts of Nigeria, leading to damage of crops and properties.

Types

Drought

Droughts are a common phenomenon in Nigeria, especially in the northern and central parts of the country, where the climate is semi-arid or arid. Some of the severe droughts that have affected Nigeria include:

• The 1913-1914 drought that caused famine and starvation in northern Nigeria.
• The 1942-1944 drought that affected most parts of Nigeria and caused food shortages and malnutrition.
• The 1972-1974 drought that affected the Sahel region and caused famine and starvation in northern Nigeria and other countries. It was one of the worst droughts in Africa’s history, affecting about 100 million people and killing about 250,000 people. The drought of 1972 and 1973 was attributed to the death of 13% of animals in the north-eastern Nigeria and an annual agricultural yield loss of more than 50%.
• The rainfall trend between 1960 and 1990 in northeast Nigeria has steadily declined by about 8 mm/year.
• Nigeria's most recent drought was between 1991 and 1995.

Rainfall in northeastern Nigeria between the period 1994 to 2004 shows that the total annual rainfall range from 500 to over 1000 mm.

Drought problem is accelerating desertification: 63.83% of total land is impinge on by desertification.

Flood

Recurrent flood in different parts of Nigeria had led to considerable socio-economic damage, injury and loss of life. Some of the negative consequences of flood include loss of human life, damage to properties, public transportation systems, power supply, crops, and livestock.

2022

This section is an excerpt from 2022 Nigeria floods.[edit]

Map of Nigeria

The 2022 Nigeria floods affected many parts of the country. From the Federal Government Data, the floods had displaced over 1.4 million people, killed over 603 people, and injured more than 2,400 people. About 82,035 houses had been damaged, and 332,327 hectares of land had also been affected.

While Nigeria typically experiences seasonal flooding, this flood was the worst in the country since the 2012 floods.

2021

In August, a flood happened in Adamawa state, affecting 79 communities in 16 local government areas. Reports says that seven people lost their lives and about 74,713 others displaced became homeless; While 150 farmlands and about 66 houses were destroyed according to Adamawa state Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA).

2020

In 2020, 68 people died and 129,000 people were displaced due to the 2020 flood incidences. This is according to the NEMA Director-General, Muhammadu Muhammed.

2017

The 2017 Benue State flooding took place in September 2017 in Central Nigeria. Weeks of rainfall led to flash floods, discharges and river flowing in Benue State. It displaced 100,000 people, and damaged around 2,000 homes.

2012

This section is an excerpt from 2012 Nigeria floods.[edit]

The 2012 Nigeria floods began in early July 2012. It killed 363 people and displaced over 2.1 million people as of 5 November 2012. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), 30 of Nigeria's 36 states were affected by the floods and the two most affected areas were Kogi and Benue States. The floods were termed as the worst in 40 years, and affected an estimated total of seven million people. The estimated damages and losses caused by the floods was N2.6 trillion.

2010

Around 1000 residents of Lagos and Ogun states region of Nigeria were displaced due to flood associated with heavy rainfalls, which was further exacerbated by the release of water from the Oyan Dam into the Ogun River

About 250,000 Nigerians were affected by the flooding in 2016, while 92,000 were affected in 2017

2023

On 3 March 2023, there was a heavy downpour and rainstorm in Oke-Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The situation lasted for over two hours and destroyed about 105 houses. The heavy downpour of rain also destroyed some electricity infrastructure across the town, subjecting the residents to total blackout.

The Ekiti State governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, through his deputy Mrs. Monisade Afuye, described the incidents as devastating and assured the victims that government would give all the necessary support to mitigate whatever effect this situation must have caused them.

Landslides

Landslides are not very common in Nigeria, but they do occur occasionally in some parts of the country, especially in hilly or mountainous areas with steep slopes or unstable soils. Some of the major landslides that have occurred in Nigeria include:

• The 2006 Abeokuta landslide that killed over 20 people when a hill collapsed on a residential area after heavy rainfall.
• The 2010 Owerri landslide that killed over 10 people when a hillside collapsed on a hotel building after heavy rainfall.
• The 2012 Agwagune landslide that killed over 40 people when a cliff collapsed on a fishing village after heavy rainfall.
• The 2017 Mokwa-Jebba landslide that blocked a major highway linking northern and southern Nigeria after heavy rainfall.
• The 2018 Nanka landslide that destroyed several houses and farmlands after heavy rainfall.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes are rare in Nigeria, but they do occur occasionally in some parts of the country, especially in areas with active or dormant fault lines or volcanic activity. Some of the minor earthquakes that have been recorded in Nigeria include:

• The 1933 Biu earthquake that measured 5.8 on the Richter scale and caused some damage in Borno state.
• The 1984 Kaduna earthquake that measured 4.3 on the Richter scale and caused some panic in Kaduna state.
• The 1990 Ijebu-Ode earthquake that measured 4.5 on the Richter scale and caused some alarm in Ogun state.
• The 2000 Abuja earthquake that measured 3.8 on the Richter scale and caused some tremors in Abuja.
• The 2004 Kwoi earthquake that measured 4.2 on the Richter scale and caused some cracks in buildings in Kaduna state.
• The 2009 Abeokuta earthquake that measured 3.9 on the Richter scale and caused some vibrations in Ogun state.
• The 2016 Saki earthquake that measured 4.3 on the Richter scale and caused some shaking in Oyo state.
• The 2018 Abuja earthquake that measured 3.0 on the Richter scale and caused some fear in Abuja.

Emergency management

National Emergency Relief Agency (NERA)

The National Emergency Relief Agency (NERA) was created by Decree 48 of 1976 in response to a devastating flood incidence between 1972 and 1973. NERA was a post disaster management agency with sole focus on coordination and distribution of relief material to disaster victims.

National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)

This section is an excerpt from National Emergency Management Agency (Nigeria).[edit]

The National Emergency Management Agency is an agency in Nigeria. The agency focuses on disaster management in all parts of the country. The agency was established in 1999, and functions to formulate policies relating to disaster management in Nigeria.

Directors general included:

• Muhammad Sani-Sidi
• Abbas Idriss
• Zubaida Umar

The agency coordinates with state-level emergency agencies called States’ Emergency Management Agencies, such as the Edo State Emergency Management Agency. These agencies were authorized by the NEMA act which created the national service. As of 2011, 26 of the 36 states of Nigeria had state level agencies.

National Disaster Management Framework of Nigeria(NDMF)

The National Disaster Management Framework of Nigeria (NDMF) framework was created in 2010 to serve as legal instruments to guide stakeholders' engagement with respect disaster management in Nigeria. It was created to foster effective and efficient disaster management among Federal, State and Local Governments, Civil Society Organizations and the private sector. NDMF has 7 focus areas and a sufficiency criteria, namely:

• Institutional Capacity
• Coordination
• Disaster Risk Assessment
• Disaster Risk Reduction
• Disaster Prevention, Preparedness and Mitigation
• Disaster Response
• Disaster Recovery
• Facilitators and Enablers

National Drought Management Committee (NDMC)

The National Drought Management Committee (NDMC) was establishment in 1985 to coordinate drought management activities in Nigeria.

Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA)

The Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) was establishment in 2006 to provide geoscientific data and information for land use planning and natural hazard management in Nigeria.

Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics (CGG)

the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics (CGG) was establishment in 2008 to provide geophysical data and information for earthquake monitoring and early warning in Nigeria.

See also

• 2012 Sahel drought
• Climate Change in Nigeria
• Environmental issues in the Niger Delta