File photo of a flooded community
BY SUNNY A. DAVID
The Executive Secretary of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), Chief Paul Odenigbo has made a clarion call on the citizenry, especially persons living in flood prone communities to brace for this year’s rainy season and its attendant flooding.
In a statement in Awka, Chief Odenigbo disclosed that reports from Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency, Abuja, NIHSA, indicate that rainy season is likely to commence in the South South Geopolitical Zone from the twenty fourth of this month and Northern Nigeria from the twenty second of June.
He therefore implored Ndi Anambra to immediately commence preparations to avert dire consequences from the impending natural disaster, pointing out that “discretion is the better part of valour”, (Nkwucha aburo ujo).
The SEMA Executive Secretary further disclosed that according to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, this year’s downpour would be heavier and last longer than that of 2019.
Chief Odenigbo, who observed that the unsavoury development may not be unconnected with global climate change, assured that SEMA and other relevant agencies of the government, voluntary agencies and civil society groups would intervene to ameliorate the plights of persons and communities who might be adversely affected by the imminent heavy downpour and deluge.
He identified the main flood inclined communities as those in Anambra East and West, Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Onitsha North and South, as well as parts of Awka North, Idemili South, Ihiala and Ekwusigo Local Government Areas.
The SEMA Boss, who revealed that his Agency would soon embark on early warning visits to sensitise residents of flood prone Local Government Areas equally advised persons living in urban areas such as Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and their suburbs to take measures to curtail flash flood in their localities.
According to him, such measures include but not limited to removal of wastes from drainage channels and desisting from careless disposal of wastes inside gutters, in addition to building illegal physical structures on natural waterways or channels.
Chief Odenigbo equally stressed the need for people to avoid driving whenever there is downpour or using electrical appliances during thunderstorms.
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