Flood alert: Bayelsa sets up response team to mitigate disaster

THE Bayelsa State government says it has set up a response team to mitigate flooding of communities on the lower basin of the River Niger.

Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the state Commissioner for Information, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The commissioner said the team was made up of relevant government agencies, including the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

According to him, the team will visit all flood-prone areas of the state and respond swiftly to any emergency situation.

NAN reported that the development is coming on the heels of the alert by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency that nine states on the axis of River Niger and three others on the River Benue will experience floods.

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Iworiso-Markson assured that given the steps so far taken by the government, there was no reason to panic.

He said that the government had provided a call centre with dedicated telephone lines to enable the residents to report any case of flooding in their domain.

He urged the people to take advantage of the numbers and keep their immediate environment clean and open up drains within their vicinity.