The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun the mapping of communities that are prone to looming devastating floods expected this year, for emergency response.

The Director-General of NEMA, Muhammadu Muhammed, disclosed this at the Experts’ Technical Meeting of Stakeholders to analyse 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction, held in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to him, the mapping of vulnerable communities for emergency response was based on the 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction and the recent flood warning by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

To avert the devastation caused by floods, Muhammed said vulnerable communities would not be neglected as every necessary preparation would be made.

“NEMA will continue to map vulnerable communities based on the prediction as indicated by our climate risk monitoring agency to enhance and direct enlightenment campaigns in critical states,” he said.

He maintained that the meeting was necessary considering past experiences of unprecedented floods and other disasters that had affected several states, wreaking havoc on communities.

He assured participants that NEMA would ensure that mechanisms are put in place to allow stakeholders at federal, state, local government and community levels to prepare adequately to mitigate and respond to anticipated climate risks and secondary hazards.

It would be recalled that on March 24, 2021, NIHSA advised the three tiers of government and citizens across the country to prepare against the impending devastating floods in 2021.

It’s Director-General, Clement Nze, who advised in Abuja said this was because Nigeria was at the receiving end of disastrous floods among the nine countries of the River Niger Basin.

“There is still time for states/LGAs and individuals to take necessary steps to avert or minimise the disastrous effects of flood in the year 2021,” Nze said.