FLOODING: 227,494 PERSONS AFFECTED, 32,837 HOUSES DAMAGED IN 27 STATES- NEMA. (PHOTO).

 Flooding: 227,494 persons affected, 32,837 houses damaged in 27 states – NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, says a total of 227,494 persons are affected and 32,837 houses damaged by flood in 27 states across the country.

NEMA added that 16,488 hectares of farmland with crops have also been destroyed.

In a statement issued by NEMA’s spokesperson, Ezekiel Manzo on Thursday in Abuja, the agency’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar said that NEMA would continue with public sensitisation, as well as grassroots awareness through advocacies and workshops on solid waste management to raise public consciousness on the clearance of blocked drainages and waterways.

The statement added, “So far, based on statistics from the NEMA Emergency Operations Centre established for the flood monitoring and coordination of resource deployment, 27 states have been impacted, with a total of 227,494 persons affected and 32,837 houses damaged, as well as 16,488 hectares of farmland with crops also damaged.”

She advised State Emergency Management Agencies and community leaders to be prepared for rapid flood response and reassured farmers not to panic about the temporary dry spell, stressing that it would end soon according to NiMet’s predictions.

She also advised communities at risk of flooding and those living along waterways to relocate to safer, higher grounds ahead of the peak of the rainy season and called on all stakeholders, especially SEMAs and community leaders, to be ready to activate, at short notice, plans and preparations for floods, with the increasing incidents in some parts of the country.

Umar reassured of the commitment of the agency to coordinate and provide necessary support towards efficient disaster management across the country, stressing that NEMA had rapidly mobilised efforts to assess the damage caused by flood nationwide, adding that the agency was also coordinating relief operations with the various SEMAs.

She stated that NEMA had responded to the recent flood incidents that devastated some communities across the country and commenced the conduct of assessment of the impacts with the various States Emergency Management Agencies to provide timely and appropriate support to the affected persons.

The timely response by NEMA to the flood incidents, she said, was in furtherance to the early preparations made by the agency in the deployment of search and rescue teams and the placement of all NEMA zonal and operation offices on alert.

Umar noted that the agency has also commenced the deployment of relief items to complement efforts by the various State Governments to provide succour to persons affected by the floods, saying that flooding in Nigeria was a recurrent and severe issue, exacerbated by factors such as seasonal rains, poor drainage infrastructure, and deforestation.

She explained that the country experiences significant flooding during the rainy season, particularly in low-lying areas and regions near rivers and coastal zones, stressing that urbanisation and inadequate waste management often lead to blocked drainages, worsening the impact of floods.

She observed that climate change had intensified those challenges, increasing the frequency and severity of flooding events, saying that the consequences were far-reaching, affecting millions of people through displacement, damage to homes and infrastructure, and disruptions to agriculture and livelihoods.

Umar further stated that efforts to manage and mitigate flooding included improved infrastructure, early warning systems, and public awareness campaigns.