The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged residents of flood-prone communities across Nigeria to heed early warning alerts and relocate to safer locations as the rainy season intensifies.
NEMA said residents should take proactive measures to safeguard their lives and property by activating community-level flood mitigation measures and responding promptly to warnings issued by relevant government agencies.
Director General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, said the current period of heightened rainfall requires increased vigilance, urging residents in at-risk communities to move to higher ground whenever there is a threat of flooding.
She also advised members of the public to avoid driving or walking through floodwaters, refrain from dumping refuse into drainage channels, and promptly report emergency situations to the appropriate authorities to enable timely response.
According to the NEMA Director General, preparedness and early evacuation remain the most effective ways of preventing avoidable loss of lives and reducing the impact of flooding during the peak of the rainy season.
Umar disclosed that NEMA’s Zonal Directors and Heads of Operations Offices have been directed to intensify community-based awareness campaigns on flood preparedness, strengthen collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), traditional institutions, and other relevant stakeholders, and coordinate timely search and rescue operations where necessary.
She reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to continuous monitoring of the flood situation across the country and to working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure prompt emergency response and the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected persons.
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Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu
