Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
The Federal Government has warned 28 states in the country to take proactive measures in mitigating the impact of impending flood earlier forecast in the annual flood outlook of 2020 due to torrential rainfall.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq gave the warning in a statement by her spokesperson, Nneka Anibeze.
Farouq said the warning became necessary following heavy rain and earlier prediction of impending flood that could lead to emergencies and displacement of persons. She urged state governments to take necessary action by evacuating people that may be affected by flood emergency.
“The Annual Flood Outlook forecasts that 102 local government areas in 28 states will have heavy rainfall, while 275 local government areas in the 36 states of the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory will experience moderate flooding,” she said.
Farouq said the recent flood incidences in parts of the country affirmed the need to take serious and urgent actions to safeguard lives and property against the predicted flood.
“The remaining 397 local government areas fall within the low probable flood risk areas. Unfortunately, the predicted floods have started to occur in many parts of the country, including Bauchi, Kebbi and Jigawa states, therefore, it is imperative to activate all plans and measures against the prediction as the season moves towards the peak,” she said.
The minister sympathises with the people of Kebbi, Bauchi and Jigawa states over the recent flooding in some local government areas which led to loss of lives, farmlands and displacement of many people.
She urged states to organise humanitarian coordination fora to prepare all stakeholders for mitigation and response as well as request relief materials for prompt response after the flood.
Some of the states predicted to witness likely flooding include Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger ans Kogi.
Others are Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Rivers and Akwa Ibom including Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Osun, Kwara, Zamfara, Sokoto, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Kaduna, Oyo, Ogun, Abia, Kano, Kebbi and the FCT Abuja.