NEMA issues flooding alert in 31 states

As the rainy season intensifies, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has restated its warning that 31 states were at the risk of high and moderate flooding.

Its director general, Mrs Zubaida Umar, who spoke at the 2024 Flood Early Warnings Sensitisation Programme in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday, said community participation was critical to mitigating flooding.

The consultation and sensitisation programme was organised in collaboration with the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Umar, therefore, called on community and opinion leaders, women and youths, to support proactive measures to mitigate flooding during the rainy season.

She said the rainfall and flood advisories contained in the 2024 seasonal climate prediction and annual flood outlook stated that Anambra fell under the 31 states at risk of high and moderate flood.

During the official unveiling of the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) in April, Prof. Joseph Utsev,  Water Resources and Sanitation minister, had cautioned that 148 local government areas across 31 states were among the highly probable flood risk areas for 2024.

The identified states include Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba and Yobe.

Umar said there was the need for collaboration to safeguard communities at risk, protect critical infrastructure and support uninterrupted socio-economic activities in Anambra.

“In the recent past, lives have been lost, means of livelihood and infrastructure amounting to billions of Naira, have been destroyed by floods.

“The devastating impacts of floods over the years, especially in 2012 and 2022, have served as a wake-up call and the reason for these early warning alerts.

“Management of disaster is hinged on community participation, leaving no one behind. We are expected to take actions that will drastically reduce the adverse impacts of floods.

“Public and private institutions, humanitarian and non-governmental organisations, are expected to leverage on these early warnings to support the efforts of the government’s institutions,” she said.

Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, said erosion and flooding which had become existential threats to the state, required the intervention of the Federal Government.

Soludo, represented by his deputy, Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim, said the government had developed a work plan to mitigate the impact of flooding in the state.

“We thank NEMA for picking Anambra State for the flag-off of this year’s flood early warning sensitisation.

“On the short term, the state government has commenced infrastructural interventions, such as expansion and desilting of drains, as well as terminating drains into the streams.

“The state government is prepared for the emergencies and ready to work with NEMA to reduce the impacts of the annually recurring floods to safeguard the lives and property of the people,” he said.

Igwe Pius Omachonu of Olumbanasa in Anambra West, urged the government to prioritise post disaster interventions to support survivors and help them resettle.

“During the 2022 flood disaster, after leaving the displaced persons’ camps, we did not get any form of counselling, palliative or relief. We beg the government not to allow such a thing to happen again,” he said.

Chief Paul Odenigbo, the Executive Secretary, SEMA, said Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West and Ogbaru, were the high flood risk areas out of the 10 identified local government areas.

He urged people living near the river and streams to start relocating to higher grounds as soon as they notice a significant rise in the water level.

He also said the state government had intensified awareness in flood prone communities and had activated 27 holding centres to accommodate persons that might be displaced during the impending flood disaster.