227,494 people, 32, 837 houses, 16,488 hectares of land to be affected
By Clifford Ndujihe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday, sternly
warned residents living in flood-prone communities across 27 Nigerian states to start relocating.
The Agency also disclosed that floods caused significant damage to 32,837 homes and 16,488 hectares of farmland in 27 states between April and August 2024
Mr Manzo Ezekiel, NEMA’s spokesperson, made this known in a statement in Abuja.
NEMA added that mobilised search and rescue teams are distributing essential relief supplies in partnership with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs).
“27 states in Nigeria have been impacted by recent floods, affecting 227,494 individuals and damaging 32,837 houses and 16,488 hectares of farmland.
“NEMA is conducting assessments and deploying relief items to support affected communities,” it said.
NEMA’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, emphasised urgency for communities in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground as the rainy season progressed.
Umar also called for increased public awareness on proper waste management to help prevent future flooding.
“The agency emphasises the importance of public awareness on waste management to prevent flooding and advises at-risk communities to relocate to safer areas.”
NEMA’s Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, reassured farmers about the temporary dry season, pointing out that it would soon pass.
Community leaders and stakeholders were urged to implement rapid response measures to mitigate the ongoing flood threats.
Eight states safe
Only eight states were not affected by recent flood disasters across the country. In the North, only Plateau was spared among the 19 states and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
In the South, seven states were not affected. They are Ogun, Osun, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Cross River and Abia
