Environment
THE National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in collaboration with State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have carried out assessment survey to ascertain the level of flood-prone areas of Anambra State.
The exercise carried out at Anambra East and West Local Government Areas, LGAs, was to aid officials in reporting the situation so as to devise feedback mechanism to the affected communities.
NEMA Southeast Zonal Coordinator, Fred Aunsim, represented by Assistant Coordinator, Eyiuche Aniagor, noted that in the past year NEMA assisted in the provision of relief items.
“We carried out Agro intervention for farmers that lost their crops to flooding incidents.
“We urge people in the flood-prone areas to move into holding camps, especially those whose buildings submerged under floodwaters as it is not hygienic for them.
“The earlier they move or evacuate from the environment, the better for us all,’’ he said.
SEMA Executive Secretary, Chief Paul Odenigbo, represented by Director, SEMA, Chukwudi Onyejiekwe, said the agency had received distress calls from various communities affected by flooding within the state.
“This is particularly from Anambra East and West LGAs and we have come to assess the situation in order to have first hand information concerning the flood incident.
“We have been to EnuguOtu Aguleri, Okpunando, Aguleri, Miata, Umueze, and other communities in Anambra west LGA and now we are in Eziagulu Otu to access the situation of things.
“The situation of things here in Eziagulu Otu is pathetic as majority of the buildings have been submerged by the impending flood,’’ he said.
The SEMA boss, noted that 28 emergency shelters had been created for the displaced persons.
Ofenigbo urged those affected to move into the emergency shelters as they would be taken care of there.
He observed that most of the affected persons preferred staying with their relative in the upland rather than move into holding centres.
The vice-principal, Community Secondary School, Umu Oba Anam, Victoria Akpuoye called on government to intervene in relocating the students to a suitable environment.
“We had to shut down the school and move students to the town hall, but the space cannot accommodate all of them for effective teaching and learning,’’ she said.
She pleaded with the agencies and the appropriate authorities to aid them, saying that last year’s flooding destroyed their laboratory and many valuables.
– Oct. 1, 2019 @ 13:05 GMT |
Tags: NEMA SEMA carry out flood assessment levels in Anambra Communities
