The state government, in a statement signed the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, explained that coupled with the release of water by the authorities of Oyan Dam, the channels can no longer discharge into the rivers.

He said the intensity of the rainfalls between Wednesday and Thursday had led to the levels of the major rivers rising thus making it difficult for the major drainage channels to discharge until it goes down which is just happening gradually.

Wahab said the latest flash flood advisory had become necessary in view of the fact the various data gathered from the weather monitoring stations in the state showed that Thursday’s average and maximum values was the highest so far this year.

“In the past few weeks, the overall conditions observed show there’s a drastic increase in water level at our four gauge stations within the state and knowing fully well that Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority is releasing water from two gates of the Oyan Dam as announced earlier.

“A few days ago, at Kara (calibrated), the water level recorded 2.2m and which most likely might hit the threshold any time soon. At Isheri-North GRA, the water level recorded 20.015m which is above the flood threshold. These shows that the catchment areas along these axes are already experiencing river flooding.

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“At Majidun, in the whole year, the peak water level was recorded on the 14th October at 1.466m while the minimum value was at 0.538m. At Falomo, with the incessant rainfall coupled with water releases from OORBDA, both upstream and downstream of Lagos State will definitely experience flooding along the corridors,” the commissioner explained.

Wahab reiterated that data available for the year also showed that the month of October had much higher readings compared to previous months while minutes and hourly readings for October also showed consistently heightened Water Level readings, when compared to previous months and other years.

He reiterated the need for people living in low lying areas and the banks of the Ogun River to put their safety first by moving upland and prevent avoidable loss of lives and properties because the state would still experience more rainfalls in the month.

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This was made known in Lokoja, Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, while briefing newsmen on the efforts of the state government at providing succour for victims of flood in the state.

He said, “We are not just crying for help, we have set the ball rolling by expending huge resources on making provisions for the needs of flood victims in the state.

“We have taken delivery of the first tranche of the relief materials and many more trucks are on their way. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to the welfare of the Kogi people and he will spare no resources in ensuring that flood victims do not suffer hardship at this trying period.

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“As a responsible and responsive administration, we won’t wait entirely for help from outside. It is the responsibility of the government to stand with the victims at a time like this.”

Fanwo said the materials already delivered were foodstuffs such as rice, semovita, beverages and other food items.

He also said that some medical consumables, mosquito nets, mattresses and other household needs had been delivered.

“The State Government engaged a major service provider to supply the needs of persons displaced by the unfortunate natural disaster. We are satisfied with the services provided as we look forward to more relief materials in line with our agreement with the service provider.

“The Kogi State Government wishes to assure the victims that they are not alone in this trying time. We are with them and will continue to provide for their needs.

“We want to reiterate our call for assistance from the Federal Government, international organizations as well as NGOs and philanthropists to come to our aid. We are doing our best but we cannot do it all,” he said.

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The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr Clement Ovuoba, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abakaliki on Tuesday.

Ovuoba said that an expectant mother, Mrs Ozoemena Ugbega, and a young man lost their lives in the disaster.

The flood also affected 12 schools, six houses and 45 shops at the Abakaliki building materials market.

He said that the incident affected 173 persons from Ikwo; Izzi; Abakaliki and Afikpo local government areas of the state.

He also said that 261 hectares of farmlands were destroyed.

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“These local governments are the flood-prone areas predicted by NITME and NEMA,” Ovuoba said.

He quoted NITME and NEMA to have predicted that the disaster would persist until November.

The SEMA boss appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency “to look into our reports for more interventions because we lacked relief and rehabilitation materials.”

“We have complete reports on the level of disaster in each community in all the LGAs mentioned,” Ovuoba said.

He said the agency had continued to educate the public through town hall meetings with community stakeholders, traditional leaders, youths and women, radio and television programmes on disaster tips and management.

He, therefore, urged the residents in the riverine communities to relocate upland from flood-prone areas.

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The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Baba Malum Gana, made this known on Monday while flagging-off an Oral Cholera, Measles Vaccination and Vitamin A supplementation in Maiduguri.

The programme was organised by Borno government in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

“With this flooding, we have four suspected cases which were confirmed on Rapid Diagnosis Test.

“The samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory, where two cases were confirmed as positive.

“The patients have already been discharged and we have taken measures against cholera from the onset of the flood,” Gana said.

He noted that another suspected four cases had been sent to the laboratory for confirmation.

According to him, the affected camp had undergone fumigation and disinfection.

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In her remarks, the UNICEF Chief, Maiduguri Field Office, Christina Valderrama, commended the leadership of Borno State government for the swift response in mitigating the impact of the flood disaster that ravaged Maiduguri.

“We recognise Borno’s flood may trigger devastating disease outbreaks, potentially causing more harm than the flood itself.

“Therefore, we come together with a shared purpose: to safeguard the health and well-being of our communities through vital vaccination and supplementation initiatives.

“As we embark on this campaign for oral cholera vaccination, measles vaccination, and vitamin A supplementation, I will emphasise the importance of these measures in securing the future of children and promoting public health.

“Let us unite to build a shield of immunity that will prevent outbreaks and save lives,” Valderrama said.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Mohammed Arab, described the intervention as timely and urged people to make themselves available for the vaccination.

Source: NAN

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The National Emergency Agency, NEMA, said at least 30 persons had died in the flood while 414,000 were displaced as 70 per cent of the city was submerged in flood water.

Speaking from Maiduguri where humanitarian workers are on the front line to provide immediate support to affected residents, Plan International Nigeria’s Food Security and Nutrition Specialist, Dr Emmanuel Nuhu, called on all stakeholders including the government, politicians, donor agencies, and INGOs to prioritise coordinated support for the residents.

“This is the worst flood in the state in over three decades and the washing away of debris from cemeteries, zoos, waste disposal sites, sewages, and other filthy locations put the residents especially children and girls in danger of contracting waterborne diseases such as cholera, giardiasis, salmonellosis and dysentery,” he said.

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He said: “The situation is dire for a population that has suffered displacement and hardship due to insurgency for more than 14 years.”

Also speaking, the Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Charles Usie while commiserating with the governor and people of Borno State, said in a crisis like this, “children and women suffer most. Food is scarce and basic hygiene materials for adolescent girls and women are unavailable.”

He commended the state governor for showing leadership by personally leading relief support for the affected residents.

“Maiduguri is host to our biggest humanitarian intervention in the northeast of Nigeria. We are working round the clock to support victims many of who have lost their homes and are displaced,” Usie said.

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Dr Mohammed Goje, Executive Secretary, Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, disclosed this in Damaturu on Friday.

He said that 18,000 households were affected by devastating flood across 408 communities.

Goje said that 400 persons sustained various degrees of injuries from the disaster.

“At least 23,000 shelter (mud houses) including public facilities were also affected and three major roads/ bridges disconnected across the 17 LGAs of the state,” he said.

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He said that the state government had begun disbursement of N50,000 to displaced persons in camps, and N30,000 to flood victims hosted by communities.

“As directed by Governor Mai Mala Buni, registered flood victims have started receiving cash.

“This, in addition to many responses across the state, aims at cushioning the hardship the victims are undergoing,” he said.

Goje said that first line support in terms of food and non-food items were delivered in most of the camps where victims were temporarily sheltered.

“Registration and validation continue across all locations in the state depending on the severity and availability of resources.

“Victims do receive either medical support, food, non-food items, hygiene/diginity kits, cash or a combination of any of the available resources,” Goje said.

The executive secretary said that the cash disbursement was conducted at Nguru on Friday, adding that the disbursement would subsequently hold in Nangere and Karasuwa, among other communities.

Source: NAN

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Utsev issued this warning during the official unveiling of the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, on Monday in Abuja.

The theme of this year’s AFO is “Promoting the Use of Data Analytics and Modeling for Flood Risk Assessments and Food Security.”

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, leads AFO yearly predictions.

The identified states are: Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Kogi.

Others are: Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.

Utsev emphasised the importance of proactive measures to mitigate potential flood impacts in these areas.

He said there was need for preparedness, early warning systems, and community engagement to minimise damage to lives and property.

The minister said that the high flood risk areas spanned from April to November 2024; with potential impacts on population, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock, infrastructure, and the environment.

He highlighted the theme’s alignment with the Presidential Agenda on Food Security as it was central to the current administration’s goal of lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty and advancing towards national prosperity.

Utsev said Nigeria had faced recurrent and severe flood disasters over the years, with 2012 marked as one of the most devastating recorded events.

“The 2022 floods were particularly catastrophic, being termed the worst in the country’s history in terms of impact magnitude.

“The World Bank estimated the total economic damage from the 2022 floods, including damage to residential and non-residential buildings, infrastructure, productive sectors, and farmlands, at approximately 6.68 billion dollars.

“In response to the ongoing challenges posed by flooding, President Bola Tinubu initiated the National Economic Council Ad-hoc Committee on Flood Mitigation, Adaptation, Preparedness, and Response,’’ he said.

The minister said the committee’s mandate was to proactively develop a comprehensive roadmap aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s flood mitigation, preparedness, adaptation, and communication infrastructure.

Earlier, Prof. Charles Anosike, Director General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, said that the partnership between NIHSA and his organisation, was pivotal in enhancing the nation’s disaster preparedness.

He said that the collaboration had notably improved efforts in mitigating the impact of flooding through early warning systems.

According to him, it was a critical initiative aimed at addressing the escalating frequency and severity of flooding incidents across the country.

He underscored the imperative of leveraging data, analytics, and modelling in flood risk assessment and management, citing NIMET’s commitment to providing comprehensive meteorological insights for informed decision-making.

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Referencing a UNICEF report on the extensive damage inflicted by flooding on agricultural lands in the previous year, he stressed the urgency of integrating forecast information into national policies and interventions.

He reaffirmed NIMET’s dedication to collaborating with NIHSA and other stakeholders to deliver timely and accurate weather forecasts tailored to meet the diverse needs of communities nationwide.

Zubaida Umar, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, underscored the significance of the AFO released by NIHSA.

Umar noted the increasing prevalence of flooding in Nigeria and its devastating consequences, including loss of lives, property damage, displacement, and disruption of livelihoods.

She stressed the urgent need for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of flooding across the country.

Umar commended the AFO as a crucial tool for informed decision-making and action to enhance the nation’s preparedness for floods, noting the longstanding partnership between NEMA and NIHSA in flood risk management.

She said that NEMA relied on the AFO to develop its annual Climate Related Hazard preparedness and response strategy, which served as an early warning message for Nigeria.

On his part, Clement Nze, NIHSA Director-General, harped on the need to promote a better understanding of flood risks and implementing appropriate mitigation measures to address the challenges of flooding in Nigeria.

He stressed the essential role of encouraging collaboration among disaster risk managers, earth observers, mission makers, and other stakeholders to enhance preparedness and flood control measures.

Nze said the collaborative efforts were critical to effectively managing flood risks and minimising the impact of flooding on communities and infrastructure across the country.

Source: NAN

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NEMA Head of Operations in Ekiti and Ondo states, Mr Kadiri Olanrewaju, gave the warning during a sensitisation rally at Oja-Bisi, Oja-Oba and Fayose markets on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.

Olanrewaju said that the forecast by relevant agencies had named Ekiti among the states expected to experience flooding based on increased volume of rainfall.

He said that most local government areas in the state were flood-prone with high risks due to sessional rainfall.

The NEMA chief added that educating the traders on the risk of flood in different languages such as English, Pidgin, Igbo, Hausa and Ekiti dialect was the objective of the rally.

He said, “Every one of us has witnessed the recent flood in Nigeria, which claimed lives, displaced thousands of people as well as destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

“Flood cause widespread ecological dislocation.

“Therefore, it has become necessary for communities, individuals and authorities to take proactive measures.

“We need to believe that prevention is better and cheaper than cure, as well as consider climate change issues more seriously.”

Olanrewaju urged Nigerians to obey warnings by the Meteorological Department on the impending flood, noting that it would go a long way in reducing the impact of the flood.

In the same vein, the General Manager, Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Jide Borode, advised traders to shun the habit of dumping refuse in the drains.

Also, the Director, Ekiti State Fire Service, Mr Andrew Famosaya, urged Ekiti residents to stop illegal felling of trees.

He said that rather, residents should cultivate the habit of tree planting to stop deforestation, which could result to flooding.

Source: NAN

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The agency advised village and district heads as well as religious leaders, especially those at community levels, to begin the preparations in order to mitigate the effect of the flood.

The warning is contained in a statement issued by the Head of NEMA Operation in Minna, Mrs Zainab Suleiman-Sa’idu, in Ilorin on Monday.

She said that the alert became necessary following the Annual Flood Outlook, AFO, released by the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency, NIHSA, and 2023 seasonal climate prediction by the Nigeria Metrological Agency, NiMET.

She added that the two reports were products of scientific researches that revealed that the country would suffer the possibility of flood in three categories, including high, moderate and low flood risks.

He said further that the report also identified Kwara as among the high flood risk states.

She therefore advised the community leaders to urgently lead the people of their various communities in identifying drainages/culverts that were blocked to be cleared.

The agency also urged the community leaders to sensitise people who had built on flood plains and those living along river banks to relocate to safer and higher places.

According to the 2023 AFO, flood was expected to occur in the state from the months of August, September and October.

“It is very clear that 2023 flood threatens not only the rural dwellers who reside along river bank, because urban flood is also very highly expected in metropolitan towns in Kwara State.

“Prevention is not only better but also cheaper, the agency strongly believes that when these warnings are heeded, the lives and properties of people will be saved,” she added.

Source: NAN

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Its Director-General, Alhaji Abbas Idriss, stated on Sunday in Abuja that the floods also damaged 131 structures.

He said those affected in Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, numbered 20,376; those in Bwari Area Council numbered 2,058 while 2,279 persons were affected in Abaji Area Council.

“The floods also resulted in the displacement of 2,972 persons in AMAC where 102 houses were damaged, while a total of 9,813 lives were saved.

“In Bwari Area Council, 343 households were displaced, six houses damaged and 41 lives saved. No life was lost to the floods.

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“In Abaji Area Council, 380 persons were displaced, 23 houses damaged and 272 lives saved.

“In AMAC, 6,876 persons were affected in the first flood at Ebano Hudu Road by Damagaza River, Efab Estate, Lokogoma, Apo Dutsen Expressway, Carters Court, Apo and Trademore Estate, Lugbe,’’ he stated.

Idriss added that 15 road crashes were recorded but resolved in conjunction with relevant agencies.

“We responded to 15 incidents of road crashes, 10 fire incidents and the case of a collapsed building in Kubwa where five persons were rescued and two seriously injured.

“No life was lost in the incident,’’ he stated.

Source: NAN

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