Environment
THE Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, has embarked on early warnings in a bid to sensitise flood-prone communities of the latest predictions on flooding in the state this year.
Paul Odenigbo, Executive Secretary SEMA, urged the affected communities to prepare as this year’s flooding could be slightly above normal as predicted by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NIMET, and the Nigeria Hydrological Agency, NIHSA.
The sensitisation programme by SEMA was held in flood-prone communities of Ayamelum, Awka North, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ogbaru and Ihiala Local Government Areas, LGAs.
According to the predictions, Anambra state will be among 14 states to experience flooding in 2020.
He explained that the upcoming floodwaters will have an impact on farmers and people living across riverine areas of the state.
Odenigbo noted that the cause of the flooding may not necessarily come from heavy rains here in Anambra, but from the Northern parts of the country, particularly the upper Niger River.
“It was predicted in 2012 that there would be flooding and it happened. We have come to tell you to prepare yourselves so this year’s flooding does not come as a surprise,” he said.
He urged farmers to liaise with the Ministry of Agriculture to invest in crops, whose maturity duration would be shorter so that they could harvest within a period of three months before the flooding would start.
He urged with members of communities to desist from building on waterways in order not to distort the channeling of floodwaters as flooding could bring down structures or weaken them, rendering them to be far more dangerous.
The Executive Director, SEMA, C. Y. Agupugo urged the communities to be at alert as flooding does not give notice. “Prepare to leave your homes to avoid casualties’’.
“Pick a box, put your medication, other important documents and move into the holding centres that government will establish for safety,’’ he said.
– Mar. 16, 2020 @ 10:55 GMT |
Tags: SEMA embarks on sensitisation visit to alert communities ahead of 2020 flooding
