The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria’s emergency management agency, has alerted the public that 31 communities in 14 states may witness heavy rainfall that could lead to flooding this week.
The agency, in a statement signed by its Territorial Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, listed some of the states to be affected as Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Niger State, and others.
NEMA further clarified: “Stakeholders within the states concerned to take precautionary measures to forestall loss of lives and property.
“The states and communities are Plateau: Langtang and Shendam; Kano State: Sumaila, Tudun Wada; Sokoto State: Shagari, Goronyo, and Silame; Delta: Okwe.
“Others include Kaduna State: Kachia; Akwa Ibom: Upenekang; Adamawa: Mubi, Demsa, Song, Mayo-Belwa, Jimeta, and Yola; Katsina State: Katsina, Jibia, Kaita, and Bindawa.
“Kebbi State: Wara, Yelwa and Gwandu; Zamfara: Shinkafi and Gummi
“Borno: Briyel; Jigawa: Gwaram; Kwara: Jebba; Niger: Mashegu and Kontagora are also included”, it added.
This is even as it disclosed that the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) Central Hub of the Federal Ministry of Environment Abuja shared the information with the FG.
It would be recalled that the agency had warned Nigerians to expect severe flooding in 2023.
The Director-General, Mr. Mustapha Ahmed, recalled that there had been seasonal climate predictions and annual flood outlooks by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), pointing out that the flood disaster in 2022 was a learning experience.
He promised the readiness of the agency to spread early warning messages to states and Local Government Areas (LGAs) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on flooding that is usually associated with the rainy season in the country.
The NEMA chief said: “We have started early this year, as we are ready for early warning and early action. We will bombard every citizen, state, and local government with this information as we want them to know that it is serious. We will not keep quiet. We want them to know that there will be flooding this year.”
