NEMA alerts 4 councils of impending flood in Niger

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Niger has again alerted four Local Government Areas of impending floods.

Hajiya Zainab Sa’idu, Head, NEMA, Minna Operations Office, who gave the warning in a statement in Minna on Thursday, said the areas are, Mokwa, Shiroro, Lavun and Borgu.

She urged residents of those areas to beware of impending flood in this season.

Sa’idu said the aforementioned local governments are expected to experience high flood between July and Nov.

She said the warning was coming as a result of the Annual Flood Outlook released by Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), where the council areas were identified as high flood risk areas.

Sa`idu said that other local government areas like Edati, Gbako, Wushishi, Rafi, Mashegu, Magama, and Agwara would experience might also experience high level of flood in July and Nov.

She said the state had started experiencing flood and windstorm in these areas and called on the people to take serious precaution to avoid losses.

Sa’idu urged residents of the areas to ensure that drainages were kept clean to avoid blockage of water ways, and channels and advised those living on flood plains and river banks to relocate to higher grounds.

According to her, there are indications that water levels along river Niger was rising, which will raise water levels along its tributaries leading to overflow of water to affect settlement around the rivers.

She said that the agency would continue to sensitise Nigerians on flood disaster, and appealed to the people to heed to the warnings so as to save lives and property.