ABUJA, Nigeria

Nigerian authorities issued heavy rain and flood warnings Wednesday as they urged residents to activate vigilance and emergency response plans. 

At least 15 of the 36 states in the country are predicted to experience torrential rain which will lead to flooding in communities and large farmlands, the Federal Ministry of Environment warned on the National Flood Early Warning Systems (FEWS) Central Hub in the national capital of Abuja.

"Due to the rise in the water level of River Benue and River Niger, Communities along River Benue and River Niger up to Bayelsa state should kindly take precautionary measures," it said.

It said floods could occur between Sept. 13 - 17 across identified states.

Ebenezer Arifalo, an agriculture expert and professor of agro-forestry, said flood affects crop yield and destroys farmlands. He warned that the effects of the flooding could trigger hardship for farmers and Nigerians already experiencing difficult economic situations and poverty.

"Food shortage is looming because of heavy rain and flood already occurring in most parts of the country. Rice and grain farmlands in the northern states will be affected and many farmers who have taken loans for planting may run at a loss," he told Anadolu.

A spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ezekiel Manzo, urged Nigerians to take the prediction alert seriously.

He said NEMA handles mitigation and management of emergencies while the metrology agency deals with weather alerts.

Floods often occur in Nigeria between May and September.