The Anambra State Government has advised residents living in flood-prone local government areas and communities to begin the immediate evacuation of their crops, poultry, fish ponds and domestic animals to safe places to avoid being caught unawares by flooding.

This is ahead of the impending flooding attributed to the rising water levels of the River Niger as a result of the release of Lagdo Dam by Cameroon and upstream activities from Niger Republic and Mali.

The state Commissioner for Information, Paul Nwosu, gave the advice in a video being circulated on various social media platforms, on Saturday.

He listed 10 local government areas out of the 21 LGs in the state as flood-risk areas.

His advice followed persistent high rainfalls resulting in flooding and several warnings of impending flood by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency.

Nwosu listed the high-risk local government areas to include Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Anambra East, Anambra West, Onitsha South, Onitsha North, Awka North, Idemili South, Ekwusigo and Ihiala.

He advised the residents that the internally displaced persons camps set up by the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, are still in place, urging them to move the elderly, women and children to the camps immediately.

He said, “The internally displaced persons camps set up by the state governor are still in place. We urge them to move the elderly, women and children to the camps immediately.

“The state government equally urged them to contact their local government emergency management committee, if in doubt, we prayed that the state would not lose anybody to flood this year.

“The Anambra State Flood Response Committee, led by the Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, in collaboration with SEMA, will release more advisory in days ahead to communities on flood plane to know what to do.”

He urged local government chairmen and community leaders to comply with the life-saving directives that will be issued soon.

Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that residents of communities in the riverine areas and along the River Niger plains are beginning to evacuate due to the rising water level of the River.

The traditional ruler of Omor Community in Ayamelum Local Government Area, Igwe Chidume Orenu, said, “We are advising our people living in the flood-prone farm settlements to move to higher ground immediately. We have also advised them to begin harvesting their crops promptly to avoid being caught off guard.”

A resident In Ogbaru LG, a community near the River Niger banks, Nkechi Eche, said, “We have been alerted to the impending flood and we have also seen that the water level of the River Niger is rising. We in Ogbaru are predominantly farmers, so, we have started harvesting some of our crops that are due, poultry and livestock farmers have been relocating their birds and other domestic animals to avoid destruction.

“Some people have also started moving some of their properties to higher ground and some with little children have started relocating. This is to avoid casualties like what happened in 2022 where most houses were submerged under waters for several months.”

Recall that a statement by the Director General, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Umar Mohammed, on Friday, said floodwaters from countries in the River Niger system are gradually moving towards Nigeria, starting with Kebbi State.

“The development is attributed to upstream activities in Niger Republic and Mali. The risk of flooding is, however, expected to peak by the end of August and into September,” the statement added. (Saturday PUNCH)

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