Nigeria flags flood risk in 11 states as Cameroon releases dam water

FILE PHOTO: Residents walk as they leave the flooded areas in Maiduguri, northern Borno state, Nigeria September 15, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Kingimi/File Photo

LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria's hydrological services agency has warned of potential flooding in 11 states after neighbouring Cameroon said it was starting to release water from one of its largest dams following recent heavy rainfall in West and Central Africa.

The warning comes as Nigeria is already grappling with severe floods in northeastern Borno state where a dam burst its walls after heavy rains that have also caused floods in Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Niger - all part of Africa's Sahel region that usually receives little rain.