The Seasonal Rainfall Prediction of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) for 2015 forecasts prevalence of rainfall that may result in flooding in some states across the country.
The Director-General of NiMet, Dr Anthony Anuforom, said in Abuja that the essence of the prediction was to alert Nigerians on what to expect during the rainy season and take necessary precautions.
According to him, the agency has deemed it necessary to educate Nigerians on weather forecast for people to embark on disaster risk reduction measures.
Sharing similar sentiments, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr Istifanus Musa, urged Nigerians to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to put in place measures to protect the environment.
He said by sensitisatising the public to NiMet’s early warning signals on flooding, there would be a reduction in loss of lives and property to flood disaster.
In his view, Mr Mike Omeri, Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), urged the people living on coastal areas to desist from carrying out activities that might lead to flooding.
He directed NOA officers across the country to carry out advocacy visit to community leaders, especially traditional rulers, religious organisations and community-based groups, to avoid activities that could induce flooding.
He also urged communities to liaise with emergency management agencies, especially the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and state emergency agencies, to notify them of any development.
In the light of this, concerned citizens, therefore, urge Nigerians and relevant agencies to be sensitive to NiMet’s early warning signals on flooding and other changes in weather conditions and take necessary precautions.
They note that if stakeholders have been taking NiMet’s early warning signals seriously, they would have been able to reduce the rate of death and destruction of property arising from the 2012 flooding in some states.
They observe further that the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has, in the same vein, warned that 12 states across the country may experience flooding during the current rainy season.
According to Dr Moses Beckley, the Director-General of NIHSA, the states are Niger, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, Taraba, Kebbi, Adamawa, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa State and Sokoto State.
“In addition, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Lagos are expected to experience coastal flooding due to the rise in sea level and tidal surge,’’ the agency predicted in its 2015 Annual Flood Outlook.
Beckley said that the Annual Flood Outlook provided flood forecasts and advice on precautionary measures on critical flood zones.
He urged Nigerians to put in place responsive measures that would help in reducing flood hazards, saying that human activities were, in some ways, responsible for recurrent flooding in the country.
“Indiscriminate dumping of refuse, deforestation and poor drainage systems, have devastating effect on the environment.
“Natural disasters are becoming common in the world and 80 per cent of them are water-related. This can be linked to the effect of climate change; it is a reality and we can’t reverse it.
“That is why we must do all we can, through attitudinal changes, and put measures in place to reduce flooding,’’ he said.
Beckley recommended that all stakeholders should begin intense public enlightenment on the need to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuses and wastes.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He also urged all stakeholders to begin immediate maintenance of hydrological structures in the country, insisting that it would go a long way to reduce disaster.
He, particularly, called for the immediate evacuation and relocation of people living in the flood-prone areas and waterways to prevent them from likely disaster.
Besides, observers note that the NEMA recently alerted the state governments and communities along River Benue of possible flood between August and November.
Malam Muhammad Sani-Sidi, Director-General of NEMA, said that the alert became necessary following information from Cameroonian authorities to start routine release of excess water from Lagdo Dam in that country.
He said that Nigeria lost N2.6 trillion to the 2012 flood disaster which was attributed to unregulated release of excess water from Ladgo Dam.
Apart from this, the Ministry of Environment said the flooding directly affected more than seven million people, displaced 2.3 million people, killed more than 363 people and destroyed 597,476 houses.
Observers note that the flood alert is appropriate to inform the public on how to take precautions and avoid disasters such as the devastating 2012 flooding.
According to them, early warning signal is critical in the management of natural disasters to develop effective planning on how to deal with the situation.
They also recall that in 2013, Nigeria and Cameroon reached an agreement that the latter should give early warning on when to release Ladgo Dam excess water to enable Nigeria put in place proactive measure to prevent flooding.
Stressing the significance of being sensitive to NiMet’s early warning signals on flooding, NEMA, therefore, urged Nigerians not to disregard the current basic disaster prevention and control measures put in place by the agency.
Sani-Sidi called on state governors, state emergency management agencies and relevant authorities to alert the communities on the risk and make adequate preparations.
He said that the agency had sent the alert to the concerned state governors and that the agency had been following them up with appropriate advocacy.
This, notwithstanding, concerned citizens insist that nothing should be taken for granted since early warning signals have been given to the public.
They also urge all arms of government and relevant agencies to design measures aimed at curbing flooding recurrence.
They insist that irrespective of the level of anti-flooding measures, it is important to encourage the public to cultivate the habit of being sensitive to early warning signals on natural disasters.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)