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The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issues flood alert to 13 states of the federation, asking them to immediately activate their emergency response systems.
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The agency explained that the alert followed the continuous release of water from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroun in the last 48 hours. Director General, NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, issued the alert at an emergency stakeholders’ meeting, yesterday, in Abuja.
He said: “The update from NEMA is that the Agency has been alerted on sudden increased inundation of riparian communities and farmlands along the banks of River Niger in Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states in the past 48 hours.
“The sudden situation is attributed to the rapid release of waters from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroon and has resulted in the displacement of several inhabitants of the affected communities. Furthermore croplands and valuable infrastructure are at risk of getting washed away by the flood waters.
“Situation reports from Adamawa State confirms the upsurge of flood waters along the flood plains of River Benue. The situation is expected to be replicated in downstream states of Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa as the River Benue joins River Niger and flows to the Atlantic Ocean through the Niger Delta.”
On the number of deaths and displacement, the DG said: “I also wish to update you on the NEMA situation room dashboard which indicates that this year’s flood scenario has affected 159,157 persons, resulted in the loss of 28 persons and the displacement of 48,168 individuals in 13 states across Nigeria. I want to assure that NEMA will continue working with our distinguished partners and the press to update Nigerians on the emerging situation.
“The states have the capacity to handle the flood situation because NEMA continuously supports them and they have the flood mapping but if their capacity is exceeded, NEMA will come in; that is why we are here.”
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