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Tag: Flood

  • NEMA takes flood prevention campaign to Oyo LGAs

    Flood

    By Olatunde Ajayi

    Ibadan, June 27, 2024 (NAN) The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Thursday organised a sensitisation programme on flood early warning strategies for Egbeda, Ona-Ara and Lagelu Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Oyo state.

    In her remarks, the Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar, said the sensitisation programme was organised to save the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians living in the flood-risk areas during the rainy season.

    Umar noted that the devastating impact of floods over the years served as a wakeup call to all tiers of governments to collaborate with the agency to manage disaster risks and associated hazards.

    She was represented at the event by NEMA’s Director of Disasters Risk Reduction, Dr Daniel Obot.

    “In the recent past, lives have been lost, means of livelihoods and infrastructure amounting to billions of Naira have been destroyed, due to unmitigated incidences of floods.

    “The rainfall and flood advisories contained in the Seasonal Climate Prediction and Annual Flood Outlook of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency respectively, have provided us with valuable early warning alerts.

    “Consequently, all of us are expected to take actions that will drastically reduce the adverse impacts of floods on the entire landscape and the Nigerian population, especially for the most vulnerable persons living in communities identified to be at risk of flooding,” she said.

    She said that some LGAs in Oyo state have been predicted to be affected by flooding during 2024 rainy season.

    Umar listed the 11 high and moderate flood risk LGAs to include: Itesiwaju, Ona-ara, Lagelu, Ibarapa Central, Kajola, Egbeda, Ogbomoso South, Ogbomosho North, Iseyin, Ibarapa North and Ibarapa East.

    “It is necessary to stress that management of disaster risk in contemporary times hinges on community wide participation, leaving no one behind.

    “We must work together to safeguard communities at risk, protect critical infrastructure and support uninterrupted socio-economic activities in Oyo state.

    “It is our hope that this sensitisation programme will go a long way in reducing the impacts of the annually recurring floods and to safeguard the private and communal livelihoods of the good people of Oyo state,” she said.

    Also speaking, Mrs Ojuolape Busari, the Administrative Secretary, Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (Oyo SEMA), urged residents to stop dumping refuse into the waters ways to avoid flood disasters.

    Responding on behalf of the three LGAs, Dr Temitope Kolapo, the Executive Chairman of Ona-Ara LGA, promised that the replica of the sensitisation programme would be conducted across communities and wards in the local councils areas.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    TUN/JNC
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    Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

  • Germany’s Scholz promises aid for recent flood victims

    Germany’s Scholz promises aid for recent flood victims

    Flood

    Berlin, June 6, 2024 (dpa/NAN) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised on Thursday that the state would help those affected by recent flooding in the south of the country, noting that the extent of the damage was significant.

    “As with previous floods, we will assess the damage together with the federal states and organise help,’’ Scholz pledged in a statement to the Bundestag, or lower house of parliament.”

    The chancellor also thanked everyone who had provided assistance.

    “We come together in times of need. That’s the way it should be. That’s Germany,’’ he said.

    Over the past days, several locations in the southern German states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg have experienced the kind of rainfall that they statistically see only every 50 to 100 years.

    Six people have died in the flooding so far.

    Scholz acknowledged that the federal and state governments needed to be better prepared for such disasters.

    He said coastal and inland flood protection would be improved.

    Flood polders and retention basins must be established throughout the country, even if this is not popular, he noted.

    Progress was also being made on introducing natural disaster insurance, Scholz said, noting that he planned to discuss the issue with federal states on June 20.

    “House and apartment owners must be able to insure themselves against damage caused by natural disasters,’’ Scholz said.

    Regular German building insurance covers storm and hail damage, but not flooding, while homeowners in flood-prone areas are often unable to obtain additional cover.

    At present, the government usually steps in, costing the state millions of euros. (dpa/NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    COO/AMM
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    Edited by Cecilia Odey and Abiemwense Moru