The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) says it is monitoring flooding in the country at the backdrop of alert that Cameroon will release excess water from its Lagdo dam, just as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reminded Governors of states expected to be affected by flood in 2015 to urgently relocate their citizens living in the flood prone areas.

Director-General of NIHSA, Mr. Moses Beckley, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the states under surveillance going by NIHSA’s 2015 ‘Annual Flood Outlook’ are Niger, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Kogi and Benue.

The agency stated that it has measures put in place to reduce hazards that may arise from the flood.

Beckley told NAN that NIHSA had hydrological stations in strategic places across the country to monitor water levels.

The agency said it is monitoring the release of water from the Cameroonian dam as well as flood-prone areas in the country to salvage any hazard, maintaining that the organisation had capacity to do so.

“We actually have hydrological stations spread all over the country from where we collect data on river levels in collaboration with NIMET.

“We also have gaze readers that are attached to our zonal offices to help in the monitoring of these stations from where they feed the zonal offices and headquarters.

“At the moment, we will have loved to have these stations in some other strategic points in the country but for lack of fund.”

On the other hand, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), through its Information Officer, Mr. Manzo Ezekiel, said the agency has issued a reminder to all concerned states warning them as regard the impending flood.

“NEMA had written and enlightened the governors of the frontline states on the need to urgently relocate their citizens living in the flood prone areas.

“NEMA is set to provide relief materials for people who might be affected by the predicted flood in 2015.”

Ezekiel said that the predicted flood was due to the plan by Cameroon to routinely release excess water from Lagdo dam between August and November.

He said the safe relocation of everyone living in the coastal areas was the priority of NEMA, not necessarily the provision of relief materials.

He added, however, that the relief materials included food and non-food items.

“NEMA has prepared enough relief materials for victims of the forthcoming flood, but we are looking at that as our last resort for people that will be affected.”

Ezekiel added that NEMA was still carrying out advocacy visits and awareness campaigns in the flood-prone areas.

According to him, NEMA has called on all relevant stakeholders to be prepared and ready to assist victims of the disaster.

Ezekiel explained that attitudinal change of Nigerians was necessary.

He noted that most of the people evacuated during the 2012 flooding returned to their homesteads when the floods receded.

He assured that this year's flooding will not be as devastating as that of 2012 because there had been increased awareness on the effect of flooding. (NAN)

•Photo shows Flood scene

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