The Rivers state government and other relevant agencies will have to have to put measures in place such as desilting the drainage system and relocating persons living in the riverine communities to IDP camps before the flood catches up with them.
Some people living in the flood prone communities gave the advice following predictions by the Nigerian meteorological agency, NIMET, that about thirteen communities in Rivers state will experience flooding this year.
Flooding is a reccuring decimal in Rivers state and the impact on communities has been devastating, rendering most people homeless and destroying property and farmlands worth millions of naira.
In compliance with predictions by NIMET that about thirteen communities will be submerged by flooding this year in rivers state, residents want the state government to be more proactive by putting in place adequate measures to mitigate the impact.
The commissioner for environment, Tambari Sydney, said drastic steps have been taken to avert the impact of flooding on communities across the state even though they are no reported cases of flooding presently in Rivers.
He said the Rivers state government in collaboration with the National emergency management agency NEMA, will continue to sensitised residents to stop dumping refuse in the drainage to ensure free flow of erosion water.
Environment experts have continued to maintain that flooding is a combination of natural disasters and human factors and addressing the factors require a multifaceted approach involving government communities and individuals.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
