At least 300 people have died in floods in Nigeria this year, and the situation could get worse because of severe rains and the impact of extra water from a dam in Cameroon, which could affect 14 states in Nigeria.
Monday’s emergency meeting was organized by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to discuss the flooding situation and formulate a response.
NEMA Director General Mustapha Habib Ahmed stated in a statement made available to the media on Tuesday that more than 100,000 individuals had been relocated due to flooding since the beginning of the rainy season and are currently living in temporary shelter.
According to Ahmed, flooding in 14 states, including those in the oil-producing Niger Delta, would occur as a result of Cameroon opening flood gates at the Lagdo dam last week.
Ahmed said, “I want to advise all the governments of the frontline states to relocate communities at risk of flooding, identify secure higher grounds for person evacuation, and pre-position adequate stockpiles of food and non-food items, potable water, hygiene, safety, and security.
Authorities in northeastern Yobe state reported on Tuesday that the worst flooding in years had occurred after heavy rains since the weekend submerged roads and swept away a significant bridge connecting the state capital and some local government areas.
Flooding from heavier-than-normal rains has affected other states like Adamawa and Borno, which have been dealing with an Islamist insurgency for more than ten years. This has destroyed farms and increased the risk of food insecurity.
