NEMA Advises Inhabitants Of Flood-Prone Communities

The National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) has told the people living in 54-flood-prone communities in Kogi to be ready for evacuation to designated uplands anytime from now.
The NEMA Zonal Director in charge of Abuja operation, Mr Ishaya Chonoko, gave the warning in Lokoja at the commencement of an enlightenment campaign on preparedness and response for the expected floods.
Chonoko said that this was to avoid the magnitude of death and losses recorded during the 2012 flood disaster in the state.
He said that the water level in River Niger was rising already and urged the people of Lokoja and Ibaji Local Government Areas to start evacuating immediately before it was too late.
The NEMA official advised the people to get their loads ready , saying that they should also arm themselves with foods and other essential things.
Chonoko who was represented at the occasion by his deputy, Mr Bitrus Samuel, said that NEMA on its part had stocked its store with foods, drugs, mattresses, blankets and other essentials items in readiness for the floods.
He called on the State Emergency Management Agency to also make similar preparation.
He told stakeholders at the meeting that the Cameroonian authority would begin the release of water from the Lagdo Dam anytime from now till November.
He said that flash floods from Burkina Faso and other neighbouring West African countries were already wreaking havoc in some northern part of the country.
Chonoko warned the people living in identified flood-prone areas against treating the warnings about the impending floods with levity.
He said that their disregard for similar warnings in 2012 was responsible for the huge loss of lives and property during the flood disaster.
According to him, NEMA in conjunction with the state emergency management agency, the Navy and the Red Cross, have issued enough alerts.
We will back these up with rigorous enlightenment campaigns to the identified communities which he said were spread across nine local government areas, he said.
He urged the people to desist from indiscriminate felling of trees and dumping of refuse into drainage system and building along flood paths among others to mitigate the effects of flood on the environment.
Gov.Idris Wada of Kogi in his welcome address commended NEMA for its proactive measures, doggedness and commitment toward alleviating the suffering of the disaster victims across the country.