Over 1m Nigerians affected by flood, 634,035 displaced — NEMA

Dr. Hajiya Zubaida Umar, Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has disclosed that the flood has displaced  1,061,254 Nigerians, expelled 634,035 people, and inundated 94,741 dwellings throughout the nation this year.

She warned that 16 local government regions in Kebbi are projected to be flooded this year.

On Thursday, the NEMA Chief addressed the “2024 Downscaling of Flood Early Warning Strategies for Early Actions,” which was held in Birnin Kebbi.

Mrs Umar, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, Dr Daniel Obot, stated that the early warning strategies would incorporate direct risk communication and engagement approaches to disseminating warnings for early action at the state, local government, and community levels.

Dr. Hajiya said:

”The rainfall and flood advisories contained in the Season Climate Prediction (SCP), and Annual Flood Outlooks (AFO) of Nigeria, Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), respectively, have provided us with vulnerable early warning alerts.

”Consequently, all of us are expected to take action that drastically reduces the adverse impacts of floods on the entire lands and the Nigerian population, especially for the most vulnerable persons living in communities identified to be at risk of flooding.”

She added that as of Friday, September 13, information from the National Emergency Coordination Centre, EOC of NEMA, showed that 176 LGAs in 30 states, including the FCT, had been impacted, compared to the 148 LGAs and 31 states anticipated by NIHSA.

”About 1,061,254 persons are affected; 634,035 are being displaced; 94,741 houses are either damaged or destroyed, while 125,805 hectares of farmlands can be regarded as submerged or crops being washed away across the country,” she revealed.

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cc: Daily Post Ng