The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has taken flood sensitisation awareness to flood prone areas and riverine communities in Adamawa state.
The agency sensitised the people on the need to relocate to safer places to avert pending disaster.
This followed earlier predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) that Adamawa state is among other states in the country that would likely experience excessive flooding this year.
The areas visited by NEMA officials and their state counterparts Lamurde, Numan, Demsa, Yola south, Yola north and Guyuk local government areas classified as high and low risk areas.
Speaking during their visit to Lamurde, NEMA head of operation in the state, Midala Iliya Anuhu, told the chairman that they were in the area to visit flood affected communities in a bid to sensitise them on the excessive flooding expected in some states including Adamawa as predicted by NIMET and other agencies so as to put the people on alert.
He further said Lamurde local government area was classified as high risk area hence the need for the people to be vigilant by always observing the volumes of water in their areas as raining season intensifies for possible relocation to safer places.
According to him, plan was also underway to form grassroot emergency vanguard in rural communities especially in flood prone areas to help enlighten the people on the steps to take to safeguard themselves among other precautionary measures.
He also solicited for the support of the local government on the need for them to step-down the awareness to various communities in the area.
Responding, the executive chairman of Lamurde local government area Hon. Burta Williams thanked NEMA for their frequent supports and intervations to victims of disasters.
He assured the agency of the administration’s commitment to work closely with them for the benefits of the people in a bid to compliment their efforts.
Williams confirmed that most communities in the local government area are in the riverine areas and have been experiencing flooding annually while calling for NEMA’s continuous assistance.
The team also distributed flyers on steps to be taken by the people before, during and after the disaster in all the areas visited.
Receiving the team at Demsa local government area, the chairman represented by the local government secretary Mr Hillary Philemon said only three out of the 10 electoral wards in the local government area not affected by flooding, a situation that has continued to subject their people to untold hardship.
