The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged residents of flood-prone communities across the country to heed early warning alerts and relocate to safer locations as rainfall intensifies during the peak of the rainy season.
According to an official signed statement by the NEMA Press Unit, the Director-General of the Agency, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the current period of increased rainfall requires communities vulnerable to flooding to activate preventive measures to protect lives and property.
She advised residents to pay close attention to flood forecasts and early warning information issued by relevant government agencies and move to higher ground whenever there is a threat of flooding.
Mrs. Umar also cautioned members of the public against driving or walking through floodwaters, dumping refuse into drainage channels, and urged them to promptly report emergency situations to the appropriate authorities to facilitate timely response.
She emphasised that preparedness and early evacuation remain the most effective strategies for preventing avoidable loss of lives and minimising the devastating impact of floods.
The Director-General disclosed that NEMA’s Zonal Directors and Heads of Operations Offices have been directed to intensify community-based flood preparedness awareness campaigns across the country.
She said the Agency is also strengthening collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs), traditional institutions and other relevant stakeholders to enhance flood preparedness and coordinate timely search and rescue operations where necessary.
Mrs. Umar reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to continuous monitoring of the flood situation nationwide, assuring that the Agency would continue working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure prompt emergency response and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
