NIMET warns Edo to brace for flood

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has warned Edo state to brace for flooding this year.

In a courtesy visit on Governor Godwin Obaseki, the director-general of NEMA Muhammadu Muhammed warned Edo was one of states categorised for “highly probable flood risk” in a predication by the Nigerian Meteorological Services, NIMET, and the Hydrological agency.

A total 28 states are listed for “highly probable flood risk” in the NIMET prediction.

The annual flood outlook also shows flooding could affect a total 102 local government areas across the 28 states.

Another 275 local government areas are categorised as “moderately probable flood risk”.

The remaining 397 fall within the “low probable flood risk.”

“This year’s outlook has predicted the highly probable flood risk areas in Edo  to include Etsako East and Esan South East local government areas while the low  probable flood risk area are Ikpoba Okha, Oredo, Etsako Central,  Esan North East  and Ovia North East local government areas respectively,” said Muhammed.

He listed the proactive and mitigative measures to put in place by the state government to include directing the state emergency management agency and frontline local government authorities and other response agencies in the state to be prepared for the flood.

“Government should carrying out public enlightenment campaign to the vulnerable communities to undertake mitigation action and prepared to vacate to safe ground, identifying safe locations for internally displaced camp to shelter evacuated victims, distil drainages and canal to allow to free flow of water.”