We commiserate with the residents of Maiduguri caught in the flooding this week. It will take a long time for the ugly experience to ebb from their memories even after the water must have receded. With about two dozens dead and more than 400,000 displaced, the flood has severely impacted several neighbourhoods, including Fori, Galtimari, Gwange, and Bulabulin where people are being forced to evacuate their homes for camps on higher ground. The situation has been exacerbated by wild animals fleeing from the flooded state zoo. Snakes, crocodiles, and ostriches have reportedly been seen roaming the streets, adding to the chaos and danger for residents.

This awful event brings to the fore the need for vigilance and installation of early warning systems across the country. Storms will always come but it is important for the government to put in place mitigation and adaptation strategies. These can be achieved through early information flow to the communities. Those in charge of dams usually know from calibration when the water is getting to levels that could cause it to either overflow or burst. This is the reason for controlled release of water from dams after people likely to be affected have been alerted. With more vigilance, the burst of the Alau Dam that released most of the water could have been prevented. But we understand that government agencies charged with the responsibility of monitoring the weather and warning residents about impending storms are poorly funded and ill-equipped. And regrettably, authorities in Borno State were not proactive, because they issued the flood alert on the day the dam collapsed. Borno State government warning came too late. They should have known and done better, because this is not the first time the dam would collapse. In 1994, this same Alau Dam collapsed, leading to widespread devastation. Indeed, nearly half of Maiduguri was submerged.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) recognises the imperative of having a flood preparedness plan for communities in the Chad Basin. ?Any slight rainfall or flow of rivers from upstream, can cause problems for Maiduguri,? according to Zakari Haruna of NiMet, who explained how the tragedy could have been averted or mitigated. ?I don?t know how they manage that dam, but it may have been overflowed by the consistent heavy rains we have been having, and the river above Maiduguri from the Chad Basin that has been making water collection beyond normal.?

When it comes to the issue of flooding, three federal government agencies coordinate activities. NiMet produces information that is used by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) while the Nigeria Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) is responsible for mitigation. In NiMet?s view, most of those areas in August, September, and part of October would witness above-normal rainfall. The dam management is crucial in this regard. One option is to perform a sustained release of the water and if it is not done, the dam will either overflow or breakout, according to experts.

Describing the flooding of Maiduguri as a monumental disaster, the Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey admonished that there must be adequate support to all the displaced people ?not just in terms of immediate needs, but in terms of ensuring their long-term recovery.?

We endorse his prescription as we call on government and public-spirited individuals to come to the aid of the people of Maiduguri in this most difficult period. (THISDAY Editorial)

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