Lifestyle

FCT, 32 states risk high floods, severe consequences, FG warns

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The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, has warned that 178 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) fell among highly probable flood risk areas for 2023.

The minister gave the early warning, following earlier predictions by the NIgeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), at the official unveiling of the 2023 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO), themed ‘Flood Prediction and its impact on Socio-Economic Livelihood’ on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, the forecasts for the 2023 AFO, showed that 178 LGAs in 32 states of the Federation, and the FCT, fall within the Highly Probable Flood Risk Areas, and 224 LGAs in 35 States of the Federation, including the FCT fall within the Moderately Probable Flood Risk Areas. Meanwhile, the remaining 402 LGAs fall within the Probable Flood Risk Areas.

“The Highly Probable Flood Risk States are: Adamawa, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross- River, Delta, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara and the FCT.

Mr Adamu said the level of floods in highly probable flood risk States, is expected to be high in terms of impact on the population, agriculture, livelihood, livestock , Infrastructure and the environment, between April and November.

“Part of 66 LGA’s across the country fall within the Highly Probable Risk areas in the months of April, May and June, while part of 148 LGAs in the months of July, August and September, while part of 100 LGAs in the months of October and November, 2023.

“The details of the LGAs and their corresponding states are contained in our publication.

“The moderate impact level of floods are expected in parts of 41 LGAs within the months of April, May and June, and in parts of 199 LGAS within the months of July, August and September, and parts of 73 LGAs within the months of October and November, 2023,” he added.

He noted that Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Ondo, would be experiencing coastal flooding, due to rise in sea level and tidal surge, which would impact on fishing, wildlife habitation and river navigation.

“The flash and urban flood will be experienced in urban cities centres across cities of Lagos, Kaduna, Suleja, Gombe, Yola, Makurdi, Abuja, Lafia, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Benin City, Bimin- Kebbi, Sokoto, Lakoja, Maiduguri, Kano, Oshogbo, Ado-Ekiti, Abakaliki, Awka, Nsukka, Calabar, Owerri.

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders, policy makers and agencies to rise up, with appropriate mechanisms on how to curtail impending floods.

The Permanent Secretary, Didi Walson- Jack, in her speech read by a representative who is Director, Inspectorate, River Basin, A.J. Ochigbo, spoke on the negative impacts of flood and other disasters.

He said flooding would be drastically reduced if better understanding of flood risks are promoted and ensuring adequate and appropriate mitigating measures are deployed.

The Director-General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Clement Nze, in his vote of thanks, emphasised on the need for farmers, policy makers and Nigerians, to use the information provided for preventive measures.

Mr Nze added that the objective of the AFO was to prepare the nation to avert the negative impact of floods, and come up with pre- emptive measures to get it right before the rains start.

“We have been working round the clock to come up with actionable solutions,we have been given 90 days,this is the first time we are having this in February, believing this year that the sub Nationals at this time will be able to do something.

“There’s enough time now to work. We have taken some steps to ensure that we improve on that by 2022. This year, we are introducing a new dimension.

“From the month of June, every five days we will be giving out predictions, telling you what will happen,it will be broken into pieces and segments.

We expect that at the end of the day, all the agencies will come together and speak with one voice,” he added.

Lifestyle

Lagos puts Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island residents on red alert over flood

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Lagos puts Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island residents on red alert over flood Waterfront residents of highbrow Ikoyi, Lekki and Victoria Island as well as coastal areas of Epe and Badagry have been alerted by the Lagos state government to be wary of back flow due to the high tide in Lagos Lagoon.

The advisory was issued by Lagos state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Commissioner Tunji Bello.

Bello who revealed that the high tide of the lagoon had made it difficult for storm run-off from the various channels to discharge effectively into the lagoon, added that this might in turn cause stagnation into the streets and major roads until the lagoon recedes to allow for a discharge of the channels.

Residents of the affected areas on Lagos Island and other coastal areas have been directed to monitor the incidental rains regularly, ensure situational awareness at all times, refrain from dumping refuse into the drains and clean their tertiary drains regularly.

Bello reiterated the earlier flood advisory issued by the state government to the effect that all those on the banks of Ogun River, especially residents of Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode Onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri, Olowora, Araromi, Otun Orisha community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo Ogun, Owode Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, and Agboyi III, to remain vigilant at these periods.

The commissioner also revealed that the state government had embarked on massive drainage clearing and the construction of new channels, besides continuous deployment of the quick response Emergency Flood Abatement Gang to free up manholes and black spots to ensure optimum capacity of the drains to contain run-offs.

Lifestyle

Body of 13-year-old boy swept away by flood recovered in Abuja

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The body of a 13-year-old boy, Tosin Faisal Otun, has been recovered four days after he was swept away by flood in Abuja.

According to the victim’s sister, Toyosi, the incident happened when the victim was sent to get a goat tied beside a drainage channel close to their house along SCC Road in the Bwari area of Abuja.

Shortly after the incident, Toyosi took to Twitter to announce that he was missing.

“Pls, help find my brother. His name is Tosin Faisal Otun, a 13-year-old. He was swept away by water on Friday around 4pm, 14th October, 2022. Pls, retweet till we find him.”

Confirming the development to Punch on Monday, October 24, Toyosi said her brother might have slipped in the process of untying the goat while it rained heavily in their community.

“He was sent on an errand to bring our goat into the compound. I think he tied the goat close to the drainage. So, he went to get the animal when rain started. I think he slipped,”

The deceased’s father, Adewale, said the corpse was found four days after the incident, adding that they hired the services of divers to search for him.

“The reason why the information was tweeted then was that when the flood swept him away, we could not find his corpse.

Eventually, four days after, we were able to find his corpse and he has been buried. The incident happened around 4pm.” he said.

Politics

President Buhari gives Water Minister 90 days to produce flood prevention plan

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President Muhammadu Buhari has given the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, 90 days to develop a comprehensive plan of action for the prevention of flood disaster in Nigeria.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu said Buhari gave the directive in a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari.

Buhari ordered the minister to coordinate with the ministries of environment and transportation as well as state governments to develop the plan.

It was also disclosed that Buhari is “regularly receiving updates on the flooding situation in the country and restates his commitment towards addressing the challenges caused by the disaster in the country”.

Lifestyle

Two friends drown on the same day in Bayelsa

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Two friends drowned on the same day as Bayelsa continues to struggle with heavy flooding.

Many states in Nigeria, including Anambra, Kogi, and Delta state, are dealing with severe flooding.

In Bayelsa state, two friends drowned on Monday, October 17, and their bodies were found on Tuesday, October 18.

They have been buried.

Lifestyle

Panic as corpses float in Bayelsa and Delta cemeteries

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Residents of Aeroplane Road in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta have raised the alarm over floating corpses from submerged cemeteries in their environment.

This comes as flood ravages most parts of the country. The Federal government has said that over 603 persons have died, two million persons displaced and hundreds of hectares of farmlands have been destroyed, since the flooding incident began.

Residents of Yenagoa in Bayelsa state on Monday raised the alarm when they spotted the floating corpses. They called on the state government for immediate action to avoid a public health crisis.

A resident of the community, Mr Emmanuel Oden, lamented that the floating corpses had become a recurring development during floods, adding that relocation of the cemetery is long overdue.

Oden further alleged that corpses at the cemetery were often buried in shallow graves of about 3 feet, rather than the recommended six feet prescribed by law.

The morgue at Bomadi General Hospital and Olodiama had been submerged, also with floating corpses as a result.

Reacting to this development. the Bayelsa state Commissioner for Environment and chairman of Bayelsa Flood Committee, Iselema Gbaranbiri, confirmed that three floating corpses were recovered and reburied with the environment properly fumigated.

”The floating of corpses were actually reported. First, as commissioner for the environment, I got the report of a floating corpse and directed my head of health and sanitation to get the corpse reburied. Later two more corpses were recovered and reburied and the environment was properly fumigated.”

More disaster was recorded in parts of Delta State yesterday as many villages in riverine Bomadi, Patani and Burutu local government areas of the state were sacked by floods as their homes have been submerged by the flood.

Speaking on the unfortunate incident, the chairman of the Bomadi federated community, Seleyeibo Perekeme, said neither government nor political leaders from the area had responded to their call for help.

“The entire Bomadi Local Government area is submerged, with only the council secretariat still standing because of community efforts.

We’ve been able to dislodge the flood by blocking entry points with sand-filled sacks at the community waterfront through our earlier efforts.

Now, the flood level has risen and we’ve been making similar efforts but we’ve run out of resources as a community.

So, we’ve been calling on our political leaders to help since Bomadi is the last community standing and victims are fleeing in from neighbouring communities, such as Kpakiama, Oboro, Esanma, Tuomo, Tubegbe, Koloware, Ogboin-ama and many others in both Burutu and Patani council areas. Many victims are fleeing from Yenagoa to Bomadi.”

Lifestyle

Two escape death as truck plunges into flooded road in Jigawa

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Two people escaped death after a truck plunged into a flooded road in the Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Monday night, October 3.

The spokesman of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, CSC Adamu Shehu, stated this in a statement issued to newsmen.

He said the incident happened when a truck with registration number XP361EPE, fully loaded with metal scraps, lost direction while crossing the submerged part of the Sara-Gantsa road.

He said after receiving the report, the NSCDC officials rushed to the scene and succeeded in rescuing the victims.

The NSCDC had warned truck and articulated vehicle drivers to desist from plying submerged roads in the state after flooding destroyed major federal and state roads in the state.

Lifestyle

Flood sacks Kogi Assembly members from their official quarters

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The official quarters of the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Prince Matthew Kolawole; his deputy, Honorable Rabiu Ishiaka Momoh and other House of Assembly members have been submerged by flood in Lokoja.

Kogi House of Assembly members were forced to relocate due to the flooding.

Recall the floods have taken over nine local government areas in Kogi State, namely Lokoja, Kogi-Koto, Ajaokuta, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu, Bassa, Idah, Ibaji, and Omala.

The water level keeps increasing by the day, with many residents rendered homeless.

More houses have been flooded along the rivers Benue and Niger, including the Lokoja metropolis.

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