SEMA confirms seven deaths in Niger Flood

Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, has confirmed the death of seven persons in the state’s Magama and Rafi local government areas due to flood.

The Director-General NSEMA, Mal Ahmed Ibrahim Inga made this known in Minna and said six deaths were recorded in Magama and one in Rafi.

The NSEMA DG disclosed that the state has started experiencing the negative impact of the flooding, with houses, farmlands, bridges, and some linked roads washed away in some LGAs located up and downstream of the four dams.

He explained, “these rendered many homeless and has affected the socio-economic activities of the communities. The LGAs include Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mashegu and Wushishi.”

Inga specifically warned people living in riverine areas to relocate to safer grounds already identified, saying the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMeT’s latest prediction indicated that the heavy rainfall would be accompanied by violent windstorms as such, people should avoid standing under trees during rainfall and also staying in substandard structures.

According to him,” therefore, as we battle with the reality of changing climate and with The latest NiMet prediction of four days of heavy rainfall in five states of the federation which includes our State. The State government hereby provides Early Warning information to build the resilience of our communities clear all drainages and flush away stagnant water to avoid breeding mosquitos,use treated mosquito nets to prevent malaria.”

“Ensure you put off all electrical appliances when not in use and when leaving home, don’t store petrol or any inflammable item at home or shops to avoid fire outbreak. Stop indiscriminate falling of trees and plant more trees to serve and preserve our environment against desertification and flooding.

“Stop building on water ways, avoid dumping of refuse in drainages, limit your activities around River banks during this peak raining season period to avoid being flooded.”

Inga added, “Nsema hereby call on all the stakeholders, the traditional institutions, well meaning Nigerlites and the media to help in propagating this information as disaster management is a business of all. The general assessment of the rainfall impacts is still ongoing and periodic update will be made public as it unfolds.”