Nigeria Triggers National Response Plan For Annual Deadly Floods

ABUJA, Nigeria— The Nigeria government activated its national emergency plan ahead of what is expected to be another bout of annual flooding caused by climate change, alerting numerous states, officials said Thursday.

Following last year’s floods, which killed over 600 people, the National Emergency Management Agency warned that another devastating downpour was coming. According to spokesperson Manzo Ezekiel, the agency requested assistance from the country’s air force and mobilized its offices to respond quickly across the country.

“As it stands, the (flooding) outlook remains bleak, and we are doing everything we can to raise awareness and get the various agencies to prepare accordingly,” Ezekiel added.

Fatal flooding occurs yearly in Nigeria, typically due to disregard for environmental laws and poor infrastructure. Last year, however, an unprecedented quantity of rain and the release of surplus water from a dam in neighboring Cameroon resulted in a record number of deaths and the destruction of more than 340,000 hectares (approximately 840,158 acres) of land in 33 of the West African country’s 36 states and the capital city.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency predicts less rain this year. However, harsh weather combined with human activity, such as building on waterways, has the potential to create flooding in multiple states.

“As a result of climate change, we’ve been seeing extreme weather events like unusual rainfall (and) unusual heat,” said Ibrahim Wasiu, the meteorological agency’s forecasting unit chief. “Climate change plays a role.”

According to a Federal Ministry of Environment, statement issued Wednesday, as many as 14 states are on high alert for floods in the coming days. The ministry encouraged states to take preventive measures to avoid loss of life.

Several states have already experienced flooding this year, including the capital, Abuja, where days of rain swept away several residences and clogged major roads, causing authorities to demolish hundreds of houses.

“The most important thing is to put people in a safe disposition,” said Ezekiel of the emergency management department. “Our priority is to ensure that as few people as possible are affected by the Nigeria floods.”

SOURCE – (AP)