•Flooding impacts 133 LGs, 526,703 individuals, Tinubu guarantees support
In accordance with the Nationwide Emergency Administration Company, the heavy rains and flooding which have wrecked havoc throughout the nation in current instances have unfold 28 states, claiming 175 lives and displacing 207, 902 others.
Authorities have been urging residents in flood-prone areas to relocate because the rains persist, following the Nigerian Meteorological Company’s warnings in regards to the heavy rainfalls, urging preparedness for potential floods.
It was learnt that state governments, in partnership with NEMA, had commenced strikes to evacuate residents in flood-prone areas to avert additional catastrophe.
The Director-Common of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, additional revealed that the company had activated the Nationwide Emergency Operation Centre following the current flooding.
Umar, who said this on Wednesday when the Chief of Employees to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, visited the company following the current retreat for chief executives of companies beneath the Presidency, famous that the activation of the centre was to streamline catastrophe response efforts and act as a command centre for useful resource administration and communication.
She mentioned, “The 2024 flooding has affected 28 states throughout 133 Native Authorities Areas. The flood has displaced 207,902 individuals, affected 526,703 individuals, affected 79,138 homes, 1,971 accidents sustained, 106,178 hectares of farmlands affected and 175 lives have been misplaced.”
She mentioned the company had carried out catastrophe assessments in nearly all of the states, together with Ogun, Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Ekiti, Edo and Kwara, for numerous incidents.
“The latest for flood evaluation are in Zamfara, Katsina, Jigawa, Adamawa, Sokoto, Bauchi, Taraba, Kebbi, Kano, Benue, and Kogi,” she added.
She highlighted that the company had coordinated response to 158 emergencies, aided 118,337 people, rescued 4,706, and reported 1,414 fatalities.
In his response, Gbajabiamila urged the company to not simply deal with catastrophe mitigation however ought to stop disasters.
“The mandate that NEMA has is two-pronged. One is the prevention of catastrophe, the opposite one is to mitigate catastrophe when it does occur. However it seems that we focus primarily on the mitigation of catastrophe, and go away, to a really giant extent, the opposite facet of the mandate, which is prevention.
“I believe in turning the web page it will be important that we start to look extra intently on the difficulty of prevention. Plenty of these disasters might be prevented, and that’s what NEMA is about as much as do. Because the saying goes, prevention is best than treatment. And that’s the world that I believe we now ought to start to take a look at,” he said.
The Chief of Employees to the President additional said that flooding, as has been noticed, is a perennial downside in Nigeria.
“Plenty of this flooding might be prevented or at the least lowered,” he added.
When contacted and requested to supply further particulars on what NEMA was doing with state governments to deal with the menace brought on by the surging floods, the company’s spokesperson, Ezekiel Manzo, mentioned it was the first accountability of states to evacuate residents in flood-prone areas, however famous that NEMA was supporting the states.
“It’s the major accountability of state governments to evacuate their residents residing in flood-prone areas and a few of them are doing that. We’re aiding them and giving different help to the affected states,” he mentioned.
Manzo additional identified that the custom of floods was already manifesting, stressing that the company was “calling on all stakeholders to activate all plans and preparations for the floods.”
He mentioned, “We’ve got reached the purpose the place floods have gotten imminent. It’s essential that correct help is given to these already affected, and consciousness is raised in regards to the forecasted floods. For areas not but flooded however on the flood’s monitor, preparations ought to be made to mitigate and keep away from potential losses.
“Moreover, based mostly on previous patterns, many flood-prone areas within the northern a part of the nation will quickly expertise these floods shifting towards the central and southern elements. Now could be the time for all preparations, plans, and preparations for flood research to be activated. We urge native communities, Native Governments, and states to activate their plans and take motion to mitigate the results of floods. Folks residing in flood-prone areas ought to be suggested to maneuver to larger floor instantly.”
He additionally said that in “gentle of current occasions in Jigawa, Bauchi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Zaria, and different locations, it’s evident that this can be a critical scenario. Rising sea ranges and water ranges within the higher elements of Niger (Republic) are a trigger for concern. As soon as the water rises from there, it naturally flows all the way down to Nigeria. Due to this fact, these residing alongside the plains ought to put together to maneuver out of high-risk areas.”
The NEMA official mentioned floods in Nigeria weren’t essentially from the rivers themselves however had been typically the results of rainfall inside the nation.
“When rains from the higher elements of the Niger and Benue rivers mix with native rainfall, the results for individuals residing close to riverbanks might be extreme. Residents in states like Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Imo, Rivers, and Bayelsa ought to instantly activate evacuation plans to keep away from being caught within the flooding.
“Equally, states like Kebbi, which is the entry level for the River Niger, ought to be able to evacuate. Because the river rises from the higher elements, Kebbi would be the first level of contact, and residents there have to be ready to maneuver to larger floor if mandatory.
“We are going to proceed our efforts to lift consciousness and make sure the security of our communities. I’m dedicated to this trigger and can proceed working diligently on it,” Manzo said.
It was learnt that an estimated 70,000 individuals have been resettled in over 80 Internally Displaced Individuals Camps within the northern area as a result of flooding.
President Bola Tinubu sympathised with flood victims nationwide and has dedicated to offering mandatory help to assist them get better from the devastation.
In a press release on Wednesday, the President, via his Particular Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, promised that related companies would difficulty well timed warnings to assist cut back the results of environmental disasters.
The assertion learn partially “President Bola Tinubu receives the information of the devastation wreaked by floods on communities and farmlands throughout the nation with profound grief.
“The President sympathises with all victims of those ravages of nature, particularly bereaved households, farmers, displaced communities, and those that have misplaced property.
“President Tinubu re-emphasises the necessity for concerted effort to handle existential environmental issues and construct a extra local weather resilient and adaptive society.
“The President prays for the repose of the souls of the deceased, whereas assuring Nigerians that his administration, via the related companies, will proceed to supply the wanted help for victims, in addition to well timed warnings to mitigate the influence of environmental mishaps.”
The PUNCH reviews that following the damaging results of the ravaging floods, the Home of Representatives Committee on Ecological Funds visited affected states for potential treatment.
The Chairman, Home of Reps Committee On Ecological Funds, Dr Sani Jaji, who led the opposite members of the committee to all of the states affected by the floods for a first-hand evaluation of the scenario for potential treatment, said on Monday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, that the committee would work to make sure that sustainable measures had been offered to make sure that all states affected had been assisted to revive normalcy to their susceptible victims.
He mentioned, “Jigawa is without doubt one of the states affected by flooding, gully erosion, desertification and land degradation, therefore the necessity for the committee to do all it might to supply resolution to the issues confronting the individuals of the state is gigantic.
“The oversight go to was on the occasion of the Jigawa state Governor Malam Ummaru Namadi in Dutse and different strategic locations inside the state.”
Responding, Governor Umar Namadi knowledgeable the committee that this 12 months alone 23 out of 27 Native Authorities Areas of Jigawa State had been badly affected by the floods, including that about 40,000 households had been immediately affected.
As well as, he mentioned, 7000 homes had been destroyed or submerged by the heavy rainfall, noting that about 6,500 farmlands had been destroyed within the above-mentioned LGAs, including that that near 8000 individuals had been displaced and taking refuge at a number of undesignated IDP camps inside the state.
Offering the interior measures put in place to protect in opposition to frequent incidence of the catastrophe, Namadi said that his administration had championed the planting of 5.5 million timber inside the state.
Additionally apprehensive by the menace of the floods, the Speaker of the Home of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, mentioned the floods had taken over numerous the farmlands within the north.
“Speaker Abbas, whereas empathising with the victims lamented that such an unlucky incident occurred at a time when individuals had been making efforts to make ends meet. He known as for an pressing intervention to supply succour to the victims, urging them to remain calm whereas the federal government made efforts to handle their plight,” Abass Particular Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Krishi, mentioned in a press release.
In the meantime, the Kano State Emergency Administration Company says it’s compiling the record of flood victims from the affected LGAs of the state.
About 17 out of the 44 are reportedly affected by flooding in Kano State.
The Government Secretary of the company, Alhaji Isyaku Kubarachi, mentioned, “We will’t give any data on the difficulty as a result of we’re nonetheless ready for a complete report from the affected LGAs.”
The Adamawa SEMA workplace disclosed that the flood victims in Madagali alone had been 10,246, with eight IDP camps arrange in within the Shuwa, Madagali Native Authorities Space.
The opposite affected LGAs are Madagali, Yola-south, Yola-North, Fufore, Numan, Demsa, Lamurde, shelleng, Guyuk, Mayo-Belwa, Tune, Toungo and
In his evaluation of the flood, the top of operations Yola workplace of NEMA, Ayuba Ladan, said that dozens of individuals had been displaced and a number of other wounded following flooding within the state.
Ladan mentioned the Nigerian Crimson Cross and different non-governmental organisations had been working to supply medicine and render different help to the victims within the totally different elements of the state.
He identified that over 10,000 individuals had been displaced and 10 others injured, stressing that Madagali LGA, in collaboration with the Nigeria Crimson Cross, had established eight IDP camps to cater to the survivors.
In Katsina State, no fewer than 11 LGAs have been submerged by extreme flooding following a seven-day downpour.
The affected LGAs are Mai-Adua, Jibia, Batsari, Daura, Mani, Bindawa, Kaita, Katsina, Batagarawa, Musawa and Malnumshi.
The Katsina State Government Secretary, State Emergency Administration Company, Binta Dangani, informed The PUNCH, “Sure, Katsina has recorded floods in 11 LGAs. There have been casualties. The state authorities is mobilising aid supplies after now we have the complete knowledge of the casualties. There’s a document of the useless and destruction of properties.
“We’re taking a tour across the affected areas to determine the extent of harm and to give you a complete record in addition to instant help to the victims. Nonetheless, now we have since visited the affected individuals and paid condolences to households of the deceased.”
NEMA Gombe Head of Operations, Ummunah Ahmad, mentioned the state had carried out a number of sensitisation to mitigate the results of the floods.
“We did a number of sensitisation in flood affected areas and for areas with results of flood we’re nonetheless on the evaluation. Any evaluation we deal with we normally confirm degree of damages and write to NEMA headquarters.”
Though the state has to date been spared the devastating results of the floods, Government Secretary of the Kogi State Emergency Administration Company, Muktar Atimah, disclosed that 42 IDP camps have been activated in preparation for any flooding eventuality.
“The governor has given us the marching order to proceed to observe the scenario of the River Niger and report again to him every day,” Atimah mentioned.
“Proper now, the River has risen by six inches, instantly it hits as much as eight inches we are going to start evacuation of those that are but to maneuver to larger grounds as suggested by the federal government within the final one month.
“Proper now, all our IDP camps have been adequately stocked with emergency aid supplies to provide the would-be displaced individuals instant aid as quickly as they’re evacuated to the camps.”
Remarkably, whereas most states within the North had been affected by the flooding, Plateau State farmers say they’re counting their losses over the persistent lack of rainfall.
The Plateau State chapter of the All Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria mentioned the scenario was giving the affiliation trigger for concern.
“We’ve got contacted officers of the meteorological company over the scenario, they usually have assured us that we are going to nonetheless have sufficient rainfall by subsequent month. So, we’re nonetheless hoping that it’s going to occur. We’re additionally praying as a result of the scenario equally wants God to intervene,” spokesman of the affiliation, Wukaska Bako Gowon, mentioned.
“However whereas we’re ready, we consider that the federal government may help the farmers to salvage the scenario and that’s the reason we’re calling on the federal government to supply brief time period seeds for farmers to allow them develop again those they’ve misplaced.
“We additionally need the federal government to search out methods to make water boreholes out there for farmers in order that they’ll simply irrigate their farms whether or not now we have rainfall or not. We consider that the scenario will likely be remedied if these necessities are addressed.”
When contacted, Government Secretary of SEMA, Plateau State Emergency Administration Company, Sunday Àbdu, mentioned, “Truthfully, the present drought being skilled is past us as an company. There’s nothing we are able to do. Fortunately, the scenario is a worldwide phenomenon and never peculiar to Plateau State alone, and the company answerable for informing the populace on the climate forecast predicted the present scenario a very long time in the past.”
Each Sokoto and Kebbi states have been experiencing constant rainfall in current weeks, The PUNCH learnt.
Six LGAs in Sokoto have skilled flooding in current instances as a result of extreme rainfall.
In accordance with a press release made out there to our correspondent by the spokesman of the state SEMA, Abdullahi Ghani, farmlands in Tangaza, Gudu, Gada, Tambuwal, Tureta, Rabah LGAs are principally affected.
The state Chairman, All Farmers Affiliation of Nigeria, Jamilu Sanusi, mentioned, “On flooding, about 20,000 hectares of land scattered throughout the 23 Native Authorities Areas of the state are affected. The financial worth of the lands affected might be put at about N600m whereas about N3bn was misplaced to insecurity this farming season alone.”
In the meantime, the state SEMA remarked that it was already collating the variety of affected farmlands to determine the extent of harm.
“We’re working along with NEMA officers to determine the extent of harm and the price of crops or farms affected. We’re additionally collating the variety of farmers affected, however for now, we can not come out with the associated fee as it’s nonetheless work in progress,” Director of Operations for the state company, Mustapha Umar, mentioned.
Additionally, the Federal Authorities has earmarked N3bn as intervention funds to deal with flooding in Nasarawa State.
At an expanded State Government Council assembly on Saturday on the Authorities Home in Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule known as for the instant institution of a particular committee to make sure the even handed use of the intervention fund.
“The committee will oversee the correct disbursement of the funds to affected communities, making certain that the meant beneficiaries obtain the required help,” the governor said.
“We wish to be sure that each kobo spent is accounted for and is said to flood.”
As extra states proceed to reel beneath the burden of their losses, the Nationwide Flood Early Warning System Middle, beneath the Federal Ministry of Atmosphere, mentioned it had issued a warning of potential flooding areas throughout the nation resulting from heavy rainfall anticipated between August 25 and August 29, 2024.
Regardless of the prediction, current rainfall patterns noticed between Sunday August 24 and Tuesday August 27 have been reasonable.
Dr. Baba Jalo, Director of Rescue Operations on the Yobe State SEMA said that the flood scenario was at the moment enhancing within the state, with no new reviews acquired.
Earlier measures taken by the state authorities embody offering money, meals and non-food gadgets to help flood victims.
Additionally, Borno State identified that 54 communities inside the state had been ravaged by flood.
The Borno SEMA confirmed that following the 2024 predictions by the Nigeria Metrological Company, 54 communities throughout 13 LGAs had suffered extreme flooding this 12 months.
The company’s Director-Common, Barkindo Saidu, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Maiduguri throughout a phone interview, mentioned the affected areas weren’t removed from the expected areas by NiMet, which had anticipated that 9 LGAs within the state would expertise extreme flooding this 12 months.
The LGAs are Maiduguri, Kaga, Mobar, Bama, Abadam, Ngala, Kala-Balge, Dikwa and Jere.
“Between February and March, we received a preliminary report from NiMEt that there are particular areas within the state which might be vulnerable to flooding. We knowledgeable the governor about it and he directed us to hold out our mandate of stopping incidences and responding to emergencies. We used the assorted communication channels, together with radio, and different mediums to sensitise our individuals. This is the reason the severity on them is lesser this 12 months,” Saidu mentioned.
The Bauchi SEMA via its Director Common, Mas’ud Aliyu, whereas urging residents residing across the waterways to vacate their house, said that the Bauchi State Authorities had donated meals gadgets to flood victims.
He mentioned, “All these across the waterways and areas with a historical past of flood ought to do themselves the favour of vacating their homes. Up to now, 4 individuals have been recorded useless within the flood catastrophe which ravaged communities in Shira, Giade, and Katagum Native Authorities Areas of Bauchi State. Giade, Katagum, and Shira Native Authorities Areas are the LGs most disturbed by the flood.”
The Niger State Authorities mentioned it was trying ahead to a disaster-free 2024 wet season regardless of projections of flooding in some states by the Ministry of Atmosphere.
The ministry listed Niger amongst eight states that will expertise flooding within the coming days.
The Niger State Commissioner for Info, Binta Mamman, mentioned the state authorities had put measures in place to make sure that residents had been protected in opposition to the flooding.
“Governor (Mohammed) Bago has been in fixed contact with the Ministry of Atmosphere and the State Emergency Administration Company and likewise offered all of the logistics wanted to make sure that the individuals are not adversely affected by any flooding,” she mentioned.
Additionally, the state Commissioner for Atmosphere and Local weather Change, Yakubu Kolo, informed The PUNCH they’d concluded preparations to forestall any impending flooding.
“We’re conscious of the strategic place the state occupies and the influence of flooding previously, so, we’re decided that our individuals is not going to undergo from flooding. Already, now we have sensitised all the foremost stakeholders and offered various settlements within the occasion of displacement by flooding,” Kolo mentioned.
Niger SEMA mentioned it had began monitoring the water degree and sensitising residents, particularly these inside the LGAs vulnerable to flooding on the have to be on the alert and transfer to the upland space within the occasion of flooding.
The PUNCH reviews that in 2023, among the Niger LGAs affected by the floods embody Mokwa, Gbako, Lavun, Edati, Lapai, Agaie, Rijau, Katcha, Chanchaga, Magama and Mariga, the place a number of lives had been misplaced and items price tens of millions of naira misplaced.
The Info Officer of the Benue State Emergency Administration Company Tema Ager said on Wednesday that 13 LGAs had been affected by flooding within the state.
He mentioned, “We’re sensitising individuals residing in decrease ranges to maneuver to the higher locations. People who had been the worst hit earlier than the seizure of rain in July got tokens. When there’s any intervention from NEMA, we are going to get to them, victims are staying with their family, and we don’t pray to have a repeat of the 2012 flooding expertise.”
Kwara State has but to expertise flooding this 12 months nevertheless it was learnt that the state authorities was on the alert after NEMA warned Kwara communities that flooding was imminent in 5 LGAs.
Mrs. Zubaida Umar, the Director-Common of NEMA, said this through the 2024 Downscaling of Flood Early Warnings Methods at States Ranges.
She listed the LGAs beneath excessive and reasonable flood threat areas as Pategi, Edu, Kaiama, Asa and Baruten.
Quoting the Nigerian Hydrological Service Company 2024 Annual Flood Outlook, she mentioned 31 states with 148 LGAs have been recognized to be inside the excessive flood threat areas.
“Equally, sectors of agriculture and meals safety, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, training, well being, transportation, safety amongst others are to arrange mechanisms for catastrophe preparedness and threat discount based mostly on the early motion methods,” she mentioned.
Additionally, the state Commissioner for Atmosphere and Forestry, Hajia Nafisat Buge, said that the Nationwide Hydro-Electrical Energy Producing Areas Growth Fee ordered a N613m Patigi erosion and flood management dyke mission, which she described as ongoing efforts to fight environmental challenges and enhance the lives of the residents within the space
Though additionally not comparatively affected by the floods, states within the southern a part of the nation are setting up measures to mitigate the menace barring any incidence.
Anambra State Authorities mentioned it might open camps to accommodate individuals within the eventuality of flooding, following the rising water ranges of the River Niger on account of the upstream actions in Niger Republic and Mali.
The state authorities made this recognized via the State Emergency Administration Company, including that about eight out of the 21 LGAs within the state would possibly probably be affected by the upcoming flood.
Anambra SEMA spokesman, Hilary Ogana, mentioned among the IDP camps used beforehand by the displaced individuals wouldn’t be used anymore as they’d been transformed to different makes use of.
He mentioned, “The camps could be opened for the displaced individuals to remain in pending when the flood would subside they usually might return to their houses.”
The state Commissioner for Info, Sir Paul Nwosu, on his half, listed among the flood-prone communities to incorporate Anambra East, Anambra West, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Awka North, Ihiala and Ogbaru native authorities areas simply as he suggested the residents to be on the alert.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo had earlier warned residents of the state to be totally ready for the flooding.
Soludo mentioned, “We’ve been receiving all method of warnings for Anambra to cope with the anticipated large flooding. Anambra is making ready as one of many states that will likely be most badly hit.
“The final time it occurred, about two years in the past, eight native authorities areas had been completely swamped with flooding, damaging items and wealth and belongings, price into a whole lot of billions of naira, displacing a whole lot of hundreds of individuals. That is going to price the state a humongous amount of cash.
“The Federal Authorities, for instance, despatched some 24,000 luggage of rice, which we’re holding for this specific main emergency that’s anticipated to occur any second from now.”
