Sunday, February 12, 2012

Nigeria fails to heed flood early warning messages

Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria accused the state government to ignore their early warning messages following flooding in the country

Nigeria Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has accused the state government to ignore the early warning messages to the floods across the country that killed about 140 people and displacement of tens of thousands.

In early 2011, the Meteorological Agency of Nigeria (Nimet) predicted heavy rains. On this basis, the early warning messages Nema sent through radio in May for governments and citizens in seven states, including Kano in the north. "We announced ... for both the government and people start to clean drainage ditches, and formally written to state governments, including Kano State, to prepare for flooding expected this year, "Nema said Musatafa coordinator Suleiman.

the Nigerian Red Cross has also put a warning on the basis of information received from central Africa, climate prediction, the African Centre for Meteorological Applications for Development.

But, according to Suleiman, "few states have subscribed to the early warnings and began to clean their drainage systems and canals to facilitate the passage of flood waters."


But local authorities have to move from a reactive to a proactive role and a plan to fund the plans clear from now, said Omar Maigari, Coordinator disaster management in Nigeria Red Cross in Bauchi, northern Nigeria. Several states have no steps to prepare for emergencies at all, and those who do, poorly funded. Severe flooding in August in Kano, Katsina, Sokoto and Jigawa tens of thousands displaced.


main priorities are preparing to clean drainage ditches and move communities in floodplains to new places, according to Nema. In particular, the risk in most states are densely populated, low-income areas of cities, where road construction refuse dumping and inadequate buildings and blocked sewers, said Charles Oji, a developer in Warri (an important city in Delta State).


Find best price for : --Nigeria----Bauchi----Umar----Nema--

0 comments:

Blog Archive