The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported that 1,048,312 people have been affected by severe flooding in Nigeria between April and September 2024.
This was disclosed by the Director-General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, during the National Emergency Coordination Forum (ECF) held in Abuja as reported by NAN.
According to Umar, the flooding has displaced approximately 625,239 individuals and tragically claimed 259 lives.
She expressed her condolences to the affected communities and reassured them of the Federal Government’s commitment to providing necessary support through NEMA.
“The primary purpose of the meeting was to review the current flood situation, assign responsibilities to stakeholders, and discuss our response strategy,”
“While it is impossible to completely prevent flooding, we are actively working to mitigate its impacts,” Umar stated.
The flood has impacted 29 states and 172 local government areas, with NEMA working to address the crisis by activating Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in several states and deploying additional staff to assist in search and rescue operations. “We have also provided water purification equipment and essential search and rescue tools to the affected regions,” Umar added.
Support
NEMA has received support from international partners, and Umar encouraged continued assistance and vigilance.
Despite the severity of the situation, she reassured that the Nigerian government is managing the crisis effectively.
The Assistant Director of Search and Rescue, Wagami Madu, provided an update indicating that seven deaths had occurred in Borno as of Saturday.
Madu also highlighted challenges in Maiduguri, including insufficient serving materials and sanitation facilities due to the high volume of people in the camps.
Mrs. Emmanuela Offiong, Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, emphasized the importance of accurate information and effective communication to prevent the spread of misinformation during disasters.
The flood situation remains critical, but coordinated efforts are ongoing to support and assist those affected.