Governor Obiano

The Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on Thursday raised the alarm over second rise of the water level of River Niger and its tributaries.

Mr Emeka Obinwa, the Executive Assistant to Gov. Willie Obiano on SEMA (Media), said there was the urgent need for residents of the coastal communities in Anambra to relocate to holding centres established for victims of flood disasters.

Obinwa told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka that heeding the advice was necessary due to urgent information received from National Inland Waterways (NWA) on the rise of water level within the week.

He explained that as at the second week of October, water had started going down, but suddenly rose geometrically in November.

“As at the second week of October, we noticed that the water level had started going down and some victims in the holding centres started returning home.

“Suddenly, in the last week of October and first week in November, the water level began to rise steadily in a manner that some communities close to the River Niger are now flooded,” he said.

Obinwa, who blamed the second rise in the water level in 2019 on the release of water from Lagdo Dam by Cameroonian authorities, added that the situation might take the disaster nature of the year 2012.

“As at October 28, the water level was 11.51 metres, but the water level rose to 11.62m on Nov. 3, 11.64m on Nov. 4, 11.66m on Nov. 5 and 11.68m on Nov. 6

Obinwa said the alarm was necessary to adequately inform residents of the coastal communities in the four Local Government Areas of Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum and Ogbaru where the impact of the flooding was already evident to take proactive measures.

He said the situation might last as long as the Cameroonian authorities wished, urging the people to ensure they move out their important personal effects before the situation degenerates further.