The Niger State Government has called on riverine communities in flood-prone areas of the state to pay attention to the rising water levels and relocate to safer place.
A statement from the state government asked the communities to pay attention to the impending flood warning by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), and the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET), which predicted that many local government areas in the state along with others fall within the highly probable flood risk areas for 2020.
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NEMA had warned that there would be more rains in the coming days and people should be informed to evacuate from the flood-prone areas due to high water level to prevent loss of lives and property.
The state government advised that since the rising tide of the rivers could be uncontrollable and dangerous, the riverine communities should immediately relocate to higher plains in order to avoid a repeat of the catastrophic floods of last year.
“We are particularly worried about the perennial flooding and the fatality that comes with it.
“The state government is doing everything possible to mitigate the hardship suffered by our people as a result of the annual natural disaster,” the statement said.
It also advised people in the urban areas against building on flood plains and indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages, culverts and other waterways as a proactive measure to curb the flood menace.
Meanwhile, the government has embarked on early flood warning public information and enlightenment campaigns to ensure that the riverine communities are adequately informed to prepare for and prevent eventual consequences of the flood.
