By Baba Ali & Halima Suleman
Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. Nigeria is one of the highly flood prone countries in the world. Floods cause damage to houses, industries, public utilities and properties resulting in huge economic losses, aside from loss of lives. Though it is not possible to control flood disasters in totality, but adopting suitable structural and non-structural measures flood damages can be lessened.
Nigeria has lost thousands of lives and properties worth billions of Naira to flood disasters in recent times. Flooding are due to natural phenomena, such as excessive rain, overflowing of rivers banks, leading to flash flooding, it can also result due to human negligence like bad construction of structures on waterways, dumping of refuse on drainages, disregard of professionalism in building constructions and many more,
Worried by the repetitive nature of flood disasters, for more than a decade, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) being an entity saddled with the responsibilities to coordinate resources towards effective and efficient disaster management has discovered that planning flood management measures, reliable, accurate, timely information, publicity, sensitization and awareness campaigns are required to reduce the anticipated impacts that may be recorded.
Recently, NEMA having been alerted by the Nigeria Metrological Agency’s (NIMET) 2012 Seasonal Rainfall Predictions (SRP) which indicates there would be irregular flooding in some parts of the country especially the coastal and riverine areas, the agency reiterated adequate preparation to abate the anticipated irregular windstorm and the ravaging flooding predicted by NIMET.
According to the predictions “based on expectations, there will be a normal onset of rainfall in 2012 in most part of the country. The rainfall amount would be from 1200mm –2700mm in the south and 300mm to 1100mm in the northern parts of the country which may lead to high surface runoff and flash flooding.”
“Furthermore, the predicted normal rainfall may result in flash flooding particularly in the North West zone. It should also be noted that wet spells and flash floods could occur even n areas with a likelihood of near normal to below normal rainfall. Hence, there is need for sensitization of NEMA, and other relevant agencies to ensure adequate emergency preparedness for the associated risks.” The report stated.
Over the years, NEMA has reaffirmed its commitment in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) action plan strengthening every of its preventive mechanisms. The agency has intensified its public education and enlightenment programmes, sensitization and awareness campaigns on disaster prevention and mitigation across the country.
In response to this, NEMA North West Zonal Office spearheaded by the Acting Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Ilallah mandated with the herculean task of prompt intervention of responding to disasters across the seven (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi) states of the zone embarked on relentless sensitization and awareness campaign to avert the anticipated hazards.
Last year, Six States in the North West zone suffered severe flooding and unless measures are taken to prevent and mitigate its possible consequences, this year’s will not be an exception at a time when some of the communities that suffered from previous flood disasters are still recovering from their losses.
Flooding has become seasonal occurrence in some parts of the country, communities are therefore required to prepare by taking precautionary measures. NEMA confirmed that the rainfall forecast for the year 2012 for Nigeria by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) points to more rainfall than normal.
The occurrence of floods is something that may come with or without warning, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. However you are not that helpless. There are preventive measures one can do to lessen or control the damage and to protect their homes from the fury of the flood. This is why it is important for measures to be taken before disaster occurs.
It is poor judgment for communities that are extremely vulnerable to wait for authorities to provide answers to all the threats by floods. Without waiting for NEMA, communities can avert flood disaster by taking preventive measures. They can organize to open up blocked river channels and waterways. If the threat is from dams, concerned authorities should give timely or even mandatory evacuation notices to host communities, who should be provided with alternative shelter as the problem lasts.
NEMA Identified the remote causes of flood to include construction on waterways, constant indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages especially polythene bags and non-distilling of drainages which lead to blockage of waterways is one of associated risk factors in floods. Land owners must not construct bridges, fences or other permanent structures across watercourses nor should they restrict the flow.
Nothing should be stored on the banks in such a place or way that it may be washed away or fall in. Watercourses must not be used to dispose of debris, Drainage and sewage lines in many urban towns and cities have been turned into refuse dump sites, while people build on sewage lines and water channels. There is also the need to improve upon town and regional planning methods, while government must ensure that structures are not erected on water channels.
Another cause of flooding is poor cultivation pattern in overused farmlands. When farmlands are overused, they lose their capacity to contain the weakest threat by flood. The indiscriminate cutting down of trees is also a major factor associated risk factor, which does not only lead to flood but also prepares the soil on a perfect path to gully erosion. Dam brakeage due to improper maintenance can also lead to undue over-flooding of the banks, with consequence on the host communities.
Authorities at the state and local governments through relevant stakeholders need to establish and support their populace in complementing the efforts of NEMA. The Grassroots Emergency Volunteer Corps (GEVC), NEMA/NYSC Emergency Management Volunteer Corps (EMV) and DRR Clubs in secondary schools are programmes designed by the agency to reduced vulnerability in respective communities.
Disaster prevention and management should be seen as everybody’s business. This principle should be imbibed by all in both public and private sectors. The prevention of disasters is certainly more desirable than the provision of relief assistance as NEMA is not a recompense agency but rather provide relief support to victims of disasters.
Halima Suleman and Baba Ali wrote in from Kaduna
