NEMA official advises flood prone communities to monitor sea level

Against the background of the prediction by NIMET that there will be rainfall above average in October, an official has advised communities prone to flooding to always monitor the sea level to avert disaster.

The Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Owerri Operations Office, Mr. Evans Ugoh gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

Ugoh said Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas were the major areas prone to flooding in Imo.

He said there were too many casualties and houses submerged in the area in 2012because the residents were not conscious of the sea level.

The coordinator explained that if concrete measures were taken the communities could avoid disasters.

He pointed out that the agency was more interested in preventing disasters than donating relief materials to victims.

Ugoh said the only way to prevent the occurrence of emergency situation was by people adhering to early warning measures.

“When there is a prediction from a competent body, people must be very conscious of their environment.

“If there is change in the sea level, those involved should report to NEMA immediately for proper action,” he said.

Ugoh also cautioned against people building filling stations around residential areas as the danger associated with it was enormous.

“Government must wake up to checkmate the way people are building fuel stations all over the state because it can lead to uncontrollable disaster in the event of any emergency,” he said.

In 2012, floods killed 363 people and displaced over 2.1 million in 30 states of Nigeria according to NEMA.

Early in the year, Nigerian Meteorological Agency predicted that 11 states might experience flooding during the year and advised that those living along river banks evacuate to safe areas.