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Oboi! If you live in Owerri, you have noticed it. The rain is no longer the normal September drizzle. It starts suddenly, falls with heavy force, floods streets in less than an hour, and leaves cars stuck on Douglas Road ikenegbu  and Orlu Road. 

Many residents are asking the same question on WhatsApp and Facebook: Why is Owerri raining like this? Omo no Blame them see the Reason for here. 

The answer is not spiritual. The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, have both issued warnings, and Imo State is at the center of it.

What Is Happening In Owerri Right Now?

Since last week, Owerri has been under a strong weather system that is affecting over 26 states across Nigeria. 

According to NiMet's latest forecast issued between September 9 and September 15, severe thunderstorm cells were observed over parts of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Plateau states, and the system is moving westward. The agency confirmed that the storm would affect Enugu, Abia, Imo, Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and Cross River.

In simple terms, a massive cloud system that started in the North-East is sweeping across the country, and Southeast is receiving its heaviest impact now. This is why you see dark clouds gathering by 2 PM and heavy downpour by 4 PM.

NiMet also listed Imo among the 20 states prone to high-risk flooding in September. The agency had earlier warned that increased surface runoff and flash flooding could occur during heavy early rains due to dry and hardened soils that prevent water from properly soaking into the ground.

This explains why Owerri floods so fast. The ground is too hard to absorb water, so the water stays on the road.

Why Does Owerri Flood More Than Other Cities?

If you compare Owerri to Port Harcourt or Enugu, you will notice Owerri floods faster. There are three local reasons for this.

First is the drainage problem. Owerri has an underground drainage master plan that was designed years ago. For many years, the drainage was blocked or abandoned. When it rains heavily, there is nowhere for the water to go. The State Government has recently started excavating some of these drainages, but many areas in Aladinma, World Bank, and Egbu Road are still blocked.

Second is indiscriminate refuse disposal. NEMA's Head of Operations for Imo and Abia States, Nnamdi Igwe, said at a sensitization program in Owerri that flooding in the capital is largely caused by refuse dumped inside gutters and water channels. When plastic bags, bottles and waste block the water path, even 30 minutes of rain will flood a street.

Third is rapid urbanization. More buildings, more concrete, fewer green areas. When you cover soil with interlocking stones and concrete, water cannot sink. It must flow on the surface.

This Is Not New - Owerri Has Two Rain Peaks

For those who grew up in Imo State, you know about the August break. That small dry season in August gives us a little relief. But September is always the second peak of rainfall.

Climate data for Imo State shows that the state is located in the tropical rainforest zone with two rainfall maxima - one in July and another stronger one in September. So what feels unusual is actually part of the normal pattern, but climate change is making it more intense.

In recent years, rainfall in Imo has become more extreme - shorter, heavier, and more destructive. Instead of raining for 3 hours lightly, it now rains for 45 minutes heavily and causes more damage.

What NEMA and Imo SEMA Are Saying

Following NiMet's warning, stakeholders in Imo State have intensified measures to mitigate flooding. NEMA said it has held series of meetings with the 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, NSCDC, Imo SEMA, and the Red Cross to prepare for emergency response.

The agency is advising residents in flood-prone areas to:

Clear gutters around their homes

Avoid dumping refuse inside drainages

Avoid driving through flooded roads

Move to higher ground if water enters the house

This sensitization is important because Owerri has experienced similar floods before, where vehicles were submerged and traders had to flee markets.

Impact On Daily Life In Owerri

The heavy rain is already affecting daily business. 

Traders in Eke Ukwu Owerri market have complained about water entering their shops. Students of Imo State University and Federal University of Technology Owerri have been stranded after lectures. Drivers plying Wetheral Road and Bank Road report gridlock because one stalled vehicle can block an entire lane when water is knee-deep.

For online vendors and bloggers, the rain also means poor network and power outages, which affects business.

Is More Rain Still Coming?

Yes. NiMet's advisory runs through this week. The agency said Nigerians should prepare for cloudy skies, moderate to heavy rainfall, and possible flash floods, especially in the evening hours between 5:50 pm and 11:50 pm.

States on the watchlist include Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, and Bayelsa in the South.

This means residents of Owerri should expect more evening rains and floods at least until September 20.

Someone reported to whatsup that their fence fell down and their houses are flooded to the pojnt that they all have to start scooping the waters out of the shops and homes. 

If you want stay safe follow these directions. 

For Drivers: If you see water covering half of a car tyre, do not drive through it. Find an alternative route. Most cars get damaged when water enters the engine.

For Home Owners: Check your soakaway and gutters this weekend. A blocked gutter is the number one reason water enters sitting rooms in Owerri.

For Traders: Raise your goods on pallets or tables. Do not place goods directly on the floor during September.

For Everyone: Charge your phones and power banks early. Thunderstorms can cause power surges.

The Bigger Picture - Climate Change

The unusual rain in Owerri is part of a larger pattern. Nigeria is experiencing more intense rainfall in the South and longer dry spells in the North. This is linked to global climate variability.

Experts say states like Imo need to invest more in green infrastructure, proper waste management, and completing the Owerri drainage master plan to avoid yearly flooding.

The heavy rain in Owerri is not mysterious. It is a combination of a strong national thunderstorm system tracked by NiMet, the natural September rainfall peak, and local human factors like blocked drainages and refuse in gutters.

While we cannot stop the rain, we can reduce the flooding. The next time it rains, look at your street gutter. If it is blocked, that is part of the problem.

NiMet has advised residents to follow official weather updates and not rely on rumours.

For now, if you are in Owerri, keep an umbrella, avoid flooded roads, and stay indoors during evening downpours. The rains will reduce after September, but for this week, Imo remains on high alert.