It is the season of floods in Nigeria. No fewer than 33 states, including Kwara, Benue, Kogi, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers have been placed on flood alert by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) in its 2026 Annual Flood Outlook.
NIHSA listed the six states as having the highest risk of severe flooding this year. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), over 944 communities in 21 states, including Makurdi, Katsina-Ala, Gboko and Otukpo were placed on critical alert in August following intense rainfall and rising water levels.
However, in its September situation report, NEMA said Rivers State is currently the worst hit in the South-South region. The agency described the situation in Port Harcourt as serious, with residents resorting to canoes to navigate streets and reports of a teenager who died in Oyigbo following the flood.
In its assessment, NEMA also disclosed that over 3,500 people have been displaced in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, with more than 500 hectares of farmland submerged.
The agency said Rivers and Anambra currently stand as the most affected states in the ongoing flood crisis.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that several parts of Rivers State are currently submerged, with videos showing flood water above waist level as residents use canoes to cross streets while lamenting loss of goods and property.
In Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, residents of Rukpokwu (Chiomana Street), Eneka, Elimgbu, Mgbuoba, Rumuoparali, Ogbogoro, Egbelu, Alakahia, Avuha Estate, Army Range and Rumuachorlu were among the worst hit by the heavy rainfall that occurred on September 28 and 29.
The situation in Port Harcourt City is not different. Residents of New GRA, Peter Odili Road, SARS Road, Borikiri, Diobu, Rumuomasi (Uyo Street), Trans-Amadi axis, Aba Expressway, Eliozu-G.U. Ake Road and other areas described how flood water entered their homes and displaced their families.
Kingsley Chibuzor, a resident of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, told WITHIN NIGERIA that the heavy rainfall which started around 3pm and lasted until 9pm resulted in severe flooding.
According to Chibuzor, household items such as mattresses, kitchen utensils, chairs and tables were lost to the flood.
He appealed to the state government to come to their aid and help them navigate the situation.
Another resident, identified as Amaechi, told WITHIN NIGERIA that his children have not been able to attend school since the incident.
According to him, “Since last Friday, my three children have not gone to school. Water entered all the rooms, their uniforms and books were soaked. The road to their school in Rukpokwu is covered with water and we cannot even wade through. We are just waiting for the water to go down.”
He said his family now sleeps in his brother’s shop at Rumuokoro and called on the Rivers State Government to provide temporary shelter for affected families and to clear blocked drainages in the area.
“I have not been able to go to work for three days. Everything is inside water,” he added.
Adeniyi Femi, a graduate of Urban and Regional Planning, told WITHIN NIGERIA in a telephone interview that the Rivers State flooding is caused by human actions, not just rainfall.
Femi, who commiserated with residents who lost property, said buildings constructed on natural waterways and drainage channels, coupled with blocked canals and neglected drains, contributed to the disaster.
He noted that heaps of refuse seen floating on floodwater and blocking drainages showed negligence in waste management by the state and indiscriminate dumping by residents.
He further lamented that many drains in Port Harcourt are too small and poorly connected, preventing easy flow of water.
