The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised residents of Adamawa in flood prone areas to relocate to safer places.
Mr Ladan Ayuba, Head of Operations, NEMA, Adamawa Field Office, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Thursday, August 10, 2023. According to Ayuba, the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook predicted flood in five of the 21 local government areas of the state.
He listed the areas to include Demsa, Fufore, Numan, Yola-South and Yola-North, and urged other councils to adopt proactive flood mitigation measures to avert the disaster. The NEMA official identified Damare community in Gerei LGA as one of the safer places for resettlement shelter.
“From experience; flood affected other LGAs not predicted to experience the disaster as in the case of Song and Madagal.
“We want people to understand that disaster have no friends, people have to stop building on waterways, and drains should not be blocked to ease free follow of water.
“We value lives more than the property, people of Ganye LGA might experience flooding between Aug. 9 and 13, base on the weekly update,” he said.
The Agency, he said, in collaboration with the state government had sensitised communities on the dangers of flood through the Local Emergency Management Agency.
According to him, the Agency is awaiting approval for distribution of relief materials to victims of the 2023 flash flood sequel to the completion of an assessment exercise in the affected communities.