Flood: NIHSA urges communities along River Niger to relocate

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has advised communities along River Niger in Kwara, Niger and Kogi states to relocate to higher grounds.

Niger State Emergency Management Agency(NSEMA) stated this on Monday in a statement signed and made available to the newsmen by its Director General, Malam Ahmed Ibrahim Inga in Minna, adding that the NIHSA warning was coming as a result of the discharge of water from Kainji and Jeba hydro dams located in Niger state.

“The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute that could lead to the overflow of River Niger”, stressing that “the state government hereby advise our communities to limit activities around river banks during this peak rainy season to avoid being flooded,” said the statement.

The statement with the Theme: ‘NSEMA Flood Alert’, thereby advised people living in riverine areas should relocate to safer grounds already identified.

Accordingly, it said, “NiMeT’s latest prediction indicated that the end of the raining season will be accompanied by violent windstorm, as such people should avoid standing under trees during rainfall and also avoid substandard structures.”

The statement, however, noted that “The state is already experiencing the negative impact of the flooding with houses, farmlands, bridges and linked roads washed away in some Local Government Areas located at up and down streams of the four (4 ) dams.

“These rendered many households homeless and have affected the socio-economic activities of the communities.

“The LGAs include Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Mashegu, Agwara, Bida, Edati, Munya, Bosso, Chanchaga, Paikoro and Wushishi, respectively, while 14 deaths have so far been recorded, 6 in Magama, 2, in Kontagora, 2 in Agwara, and 1 each in Rafi, Lavun, Bosso and Paikoro LGAs of the State,” the statement further noted.

Furthermore, Inga explained that the assessments of the flood impacts were still ongoing, adding that periodic updates will be provided.

The NSEMA Boss stated further that “Our agency hereby calls on all the stakeholders; the traditional institutions, religious leaders, community leaders and other well-meaning Nigerlites, and the media to help in propagating this information to the general public.”

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