FG Raises Alarm Over Possible Flooding In Imo

Federal Government yesterday raised the alarm over possible flooding in riverine areas in some states, particularly states that experienced flood disaster in 2012.

Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Owerri Operations, Dr. Innocent Ezeaku, who disclosed this during a sensitisation programme titled "Flood Early Warning and Solid Waste Management", in Osee Motto Autonomous community, Oguta Council area of Imo State, urged residents of flood-prone areas to always monitor the rising level of rivers in their community.

Oguta is among flood ravaged local governments in Imo State in 2012, where millions of naira worth of property, including buildings was destroyed.

The NEMA boss warned people to be vigilant as disaster can happen anytime, even as he urged them to alert the agency any time they noticed unusual rise in river level around them.

According to him, the only way to avoid incurring losses in case of recurrence of such incident was for people to apply early warning measures.

He said Federal Government has built Internally Displaced Person's camps, IDPs, in different communities as part of preparations to tackle unexpected flooding.

The NEMA boss disclosed that relief materials like food and non food items have also been procured to ensure quick response in case of emergency and called on the state government to preposition medicament necessary for effective response.

It would be recalled that Cameroonian government had earlier informed Nigeria of its intentions to release water from Lagdo Dam.

Ezeaku said following the release of water from the dam and the intentions of Nigeria to release excess water from Shiroro and Kainji Dams, "there is likelihood of another flood incident in riverine communities in Imo State.

Already, some parts of Taraba and Benue states have been submerged by flood. Ezeaku advised farmers in flood prone areas to immediately harvest their farm produce to avoid losses. According to him, dumping solid waste into rivers was another major cause of flooding. 

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