Twenty-two states  and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) face the flooding challenge this week, according to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET’s) latest rainfall forecast.

Many of these states experienced flooding last week from the downpour across the country.

The rain fell for more than 10 hours in Lagos on Thursday, putting many parts of the commercial capital under water, which receded in few hours after the rains stopped.

Many states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have not recovered from the situation.

The agency listed in its bulletin Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Edo, Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa and Abuja among the states that will experience what it called flash flood after heavy, moderate and low rainfalls.

It asked the governments in the identified states to brace for flash flooding, riverine flooding, soil erosion, thunder and lightning and strong winds beginning from today.

The agency also noted that the downpour could lead to displacements of people due to floods, outbreaks of water-borne diseases and damages to infrastructures, especially roads and bridges.

“On the 9th of July (0000-2359hrs) moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over parts of Bauchi, Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.

“Low to moderate rainfall is expected over parts of Borno, Gombe, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti and Kogi states. Low rainfall with little risk of hydro-meteorological hazard is expected over the remaining part of the country”.

The agency added: “On Thursday, 11th of July (0000 – 2359hrs), moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over parts of Zamfara, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Cross River.

“Low to Moderate Rainfall is expected over most parts of the country. Low Rainfall with little or no risk of hydro-meteorological hazard is expected.”

NiMET announced the likelihood of very strong winds over parts of Yobe, Borno and some Northwest states between today and Thursday.

It said: “Strong winds are expected over parts of Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and Gombe states. Elsewhere, there is little or no risk of strong winds.”

The agency ruled out any chance of temperature-related hazards in the next three days across the country.