NEMA warns of flood in 102 LGAs

Vehicles and houses submerged by flood recently in Ogun State

AVM Muhammadu A Muhammed, Director-General of the agency, said that the yearly Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), and Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), that were released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), predicted this in June.

He listed Kaura, Zaria, Kaduna North and Chikun local governments of Kaduna state  as being within probable risk areas as some of the 102 local governments area with highly probable risk.

He advised governments to organise State Humanitarian Coordination Forum meetings in order to prepare stakeholders for mitigation and response to floods when they occur.

Mohammed called on State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) and front line local governments to be prepared.

The director-general advised them to sensitise vulnerable communities to prepare for safe evacuation.

Mohammed further suggested that refuse, weeds, water hyacinths should be removed from drainage channels, water channels and “all avenues for river run-offs so as to allow free flow of flood waters’’