FCTA to barricade flooded roads

Following a heavy downpour in the Lokogoma District of the Federal Capital Territory, occasioned by the early morning rainfall of Wednesday, the FCTA is set to barricade the sleep road (popularly called shortcut in local parlance) from Games Village to the Airport road and others within the FCT in order to save lives and properties.

The Director-General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alhaji Abbas Idriss announced this in a statement in Abuja via Nkechi Isa, the Head of the Public Relations Unit.

Reacting to the heavy floods which affected, Dogongada in Lokogoma and Damangaza and Apo Dutse in Gudu Districts, Alhaji Idriss appealed to residents to heed the early warnings issued by FEMA.

According to Idriss: “We will continue to educate residents as a government in the language they will understand. Motorists should avoid driving on running water, and wait for five or more minutes for the water to subside before driving. Cross-check before leaving homes or your workplaces to ensure that the road is safe.” He said.

Noting that the onset of the rains in the FCT Will commences on the 14th of this month, Idriss said, We are going to have a little above normal rainfall this year. Therefore, residents should be wary of the devastating effects of flooding. Residents should avoid building on waterways, and water channels, raising retention walls, and ensure that the required 25 meters gap between your house and the water channels/roads is allowed for safety in accordance with the Abuja master plan. When you do this we will all be safe.”

The FEMA boss who blamed flooding in the Territory on indiscriminate construction, infractions and urbanisation, assured that relevant agencies were working to remove all obstructions.

He appealed that: “We will advise them to remove any obstructions, nobody should assume that they can block waterways just because they want to have a wider space.” He quipped.

The statement disclosed that the Search and Rescue Unit of the Forecasting Response and Mitigation of FEMA,(FRM), has rescued a resident from drowning at Dogongada in the early hours of today.

According to the Acting Director FRM, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, the rescue followed a distress call on the 112 emergencies toll-free number at 5.25 am.

She informed that the victim’s vehicle was totally submerged, leaving him trapped on the rooftop of his car.

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