Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has issued a fresh and urgent appeal to residents across the state to take greater precautionary measures as flooding continues to ravage communities, submerge roads and farmlands, and force families from their homes in what has become an annual ordeal for Nigeria’s most flood-prone state.
In a statement released in Awka on Wednesday, the First Lady expressed deep concern over the rising flood situation and its potential impact on families, particularly those living in riverine and low-lying communities. She advised residents to remain vigilant, pay close attention to weather and flood warnings, avoid crossing flooded roads and waterways, and relocate to safer areas whenever their homes or immediate surroundings become unsafe. “This is to call on Ndi Anambra to maintain clean surroundings and desist from dumping refuse into drainage channels,” she said. “Blocked waterways can worsen flooding and pose serious risks to lives and property.” She urged parents and guardians to keep children away from floodwaters, drainage channels, streams and other potentially dangerous areas during periods of heavy rainfall, stressing that early action and responsible environmental practices could help reduce the risks associated with flooding. She also encouraged residents to promptly report emergencies to the appropriate authorities and urged communities to look out for one another and respond quickly whenever floodwaters begin to rise.
The First Lady’s appeal came as the state reeled from the devastating impact of two days of torrential rainfall across Anambra State on Monday and Tuesday, which led to flooding and gully erosion in several communities. The deluge submerged houses, roads, schools, farmlands and markets, caused drainages and canals to spill over, and rendered key highways impassable. On Tuesday, an unidentified schoolchild was declared missing while seven other schoolchildren and two adults were rescued when the flood overturned a shuttle bus along the Nibo-Isiagu Road in Awka. The Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that the victims were rescued through the police Safe School Operatives in collaboration with concerned community members. Search and rescue operations for the missing child were still ongoing as of Wednesday. On the same day, the Old Enugu-Onitsha Road at the Ogidi axis was rendered completely impassable, cutting off a critical transport artery and stranding motorists and commuters.
The human cost of the flooding has been compounded by the structural vulnerability of communities across the state. Reports indicated that two persons were feared drowned at the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, while many families have been displaced and are seeking refuge in upland areas. In a separate incident, the prolonged rainfall of September 22 caused a building collapse in Awka, leaving one family homeless. A resident, Okwy Nweke, described the harrowing experience of losing his home to the relentless downpour.
The First Lady’s warning is not alarmist. It is grounded in a clear-eyed assessment of the hydrological reality facing Anambra State. The National Emergency Management Agency has issued a high flood-risk alert covering the period of September 19 to 25, listing Anambra among fifteen states vulnerable to riverine flooding. The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has identified Awka South, Awka North, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ogbaru, Aguata, Anaocha and Ayamelum as the state’s most vulnerable local government areas. NEMA’s Enugu Operations Office, led by Mrs Priscilla Madukwe, has been conducting monitoring visits to the National Inland Waterways Authority to inspect water gauges and assess the rising level of the River Niger, warning that riverine communities must be prepared to relocate to higher ground should the water level exceed the safe limit.
The broader national picture underscores the scale of the challenge. NIHSA has identified over fourteen thousand communities across 266 local government areas in 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory as being at high risk of flooding this year, with a further fifteen thousand communities in the moderate-risk category. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction projected normal-to-above-normal rainfall amounts and season duration across many parts of the country, setting the stage for the kind of prolonged and intense downpours that have battered Anambra in recent days. NEMA has activated emergency operations centres across the country and placed its zonal and operational offices on red alert.
Anambra State has long been at the epicentre of Nigeria’s flooding crisis. The state’s low-lying topography, its proximity to the River Niger and its network of tributaries make it uniquely susceptible to both flash floods from heavy rainfall and riverine flooding from the overflow of major water bodies. In 2022, NEMA confirmed the death of one person and the displacement of over 651,000 residents in the Enugu-Otu and Aguleri flood. In April 2026, a flash flood displaced over five thousand residents across several parts of the state. The pattern has become tragically predictable: forecasts are issued, warnings are sounded, communities brace for impact, and then the waters come, washing away homes, farmlands and livelihoods, leaving behind displacement, disease and despair.
Dr Nonye Soludo is not a newcomer to this crisis. Through her pet project, she has been at the forefront of providing relief to flood-displaced persons, delivering foodstuffs and cash donations to victims in Umuoba-Anam and Ogbaru, and distributing dignity kits to elderly citizens during flooding emergencies. Her latest appeal, however, is as much a call to personal responsibility as it is a plea for community solidarity. The government, she said, will continue to do whatever is necessary to cushion the toll of the natural disaster on affected families and communities. But she was also clear that preparedness, vigilance and responsible environmental practices remain essential to protecting lives and reducing the impact of flooding across the state.
For the people of Anambra, the message is straightforward. The rains have come early, the waters are rising, and the danger is far from over. Clear the drainages. Move to higher ground. Keep the children away from the floodwaters. And when the warnings come, listen and act before it is too late.
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