‘2.1m Nigerians displaced, 5,970 houses submerged in 2012 flood disaster’

About 5,970 houses were submerged in the flood disaster that ravaged 23 states of the federation in 2012 and about 2.1 million people were displaced.

The flood also cost the country an economic loss estimated at a whopping N2.6 trillion.

These figures were given Tuesday by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Ibadan during the South-West zonal awareness flood campaign: ‘Towards Early Warning and Early Action.’

The NEMA also stated that no fewer than 363 deaths were recorded out of 7 million people generally affected.

In his keynote address, Mr  Iyiola Akande, the NEMA South-West coordinator, said the workshop was coming at the backdrop of the public announcement of NIMET’S Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) early in the year.

He said: “The prediction painted a more serious picture of what the nation is to expect this year, when compared to the devastating effect of the 2012 flood that ravaged about 23 states of the Federation.” 

Oyo State Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Mr Lowo Obisesan, who declared the workshop open in his comment commended NEMA for being proactive through the workshop, noting that with a lot of efforts on the part of the stakeholders, flooding would not only be controlled, but prevented.

Obisesan, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Modupe Omonigbehin, insisted that, “if we are all ready to give what it takes, if rivers and streams are allowed to go through their channels without obstruction, we can be rest assured that flooding would be prevented.”

 The Commissioner remarked that flooding could not added that compared with earthquakes, hurricane or volcanic eruptions in terms of scope, time and impact and the fact that flooding could be predicted unlike other natural disasters identified above should be lapped to prepare ahead.

He said the one-day workshop “is a welcome development as it confirmed the fact that the National Emergency Management Agency is proactive towards prevention of flood disaster in the country and this is in line with the thinking of the Oyo State Government”.

While recalling the losses suffered by the state as a result of flood disaster on 26th August, 2011, including loss of lives, livelihood and massive damage to property, community disruption and immobilisation, social dislocation and overcrowding, grief, fear, anxiety, tension and conflict and post traumatic stress disorder, he said a lot of efforts had been put in place to avoid re-occurrence.

“Let me also assure you that the state government is taking proactive measures to prevent flooding in the state in this current year 2013 by embarking on dredging of flood prone rivers and clearing of blocked drains,” the Commissioner stated.




Culled from The Sun