Lifestyle

Flood Ravages Abuja, Sweeps Away Family

By Web News 1205

Five members of a family in Kaura community, near Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have died in last weekend flood that ravaged the area.

This was made known during an assessment tour of communities affected by the flood, by a combined team of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the FCT Emergency Management Agency.

Some of the houses damaged by the flood

The downpour over the weekend which lasted for many hours, beginning by 3 am on Saturday and subsiding around 11 am, pulled down houses, submerged some, destroyed other property as well as displaced people.

Those affected are settlers on the riverbank in Gwagwalada, the first port of call of the response team where two of the victims, Joyce Okoroafor and Geoffrey Okere narrated their experience while calling for relief.

The victims were seen spreading their affected households to dry while the damaged property littered the areas. 

Some of the household goods affected by the flood

From the looks on their faces, one could feel their plight as people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. 

According to some of them, they have stayed in the area for about 20 years without witnessing such flood.

At Kaura Community, near Giri Junction, few kilometres away from Gwagwalada, the devastation by the flood was equally massive.

According to the residents, portions of the Zuba-Gwagwalada expressway around the area was submerged.

Road dividers were seen washed away, while electricity poles and buildings were destroyed.

This is where a community leader, Bako Nagzhaga said the flood killed five people.

His position was confirmed by the Deputy Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, FCT Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Florence Wenegieme.

Mrs Wenegieme said a mother and her four children died in the flood and so far, only the body of a child was found but efforts were on to recover the remaining bodies. 

The Director, Planning, Research and Forecasting, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr Kayode Fagbemi renewed the call for those living in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer grounds.

Mr. Fagbemi assured the people of relief materials to cushion the effects of the flood disaster.

It was also discovered that the affected areas lacked proper drainage system and the available few were blocked. 

This is one campaign NEMA has sustained, appealing to the people to clear the drainages and avoid building structures on waterways for free flow of water.

Tersoo Zamber

Environment

NEMA Boss Advocates Tree Planting as Panacea to Flooding

By Web News 904

For the nation to surmount the challenges and impact of flood disaster on lives and property, citizens must contribute their part and take responsibility. 

Southwest Director, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA Mr Slaku Bijimi who made this known while featuring on straight talk, an interview programme on Premier FM said the call became necessary as preventive measures against disaster. 

Mr Bijimi who likened the occurrence of any disaster as that of emergence of COVID-19 which can happen unexpectedly, emphasized that disasters are real and will always occur.

He expressed worry that the recurrence of havoc wreaked by flood over time, was as result of lack of stringent measures put in place by relevant authorities, and failure of flood victims to relocate from affected zones.

The NEMA boss advised members of the public to desist from dumping refuse on water ways, and the need to sustain the culture of tree planting. 

Kehinde Mosope

Lifestyle

NEMA Donates Relief Materials to Asaba Market Fire

By Web News 1231

Traders affected by fire disaster at Ogbeogonogo market in Asaba, Delta State have commended the Federal Government and Delta State Government for coming to their aid, following an inferno that ravished the market on May 26, this year.

They made this known during a presentation of relief assistance to over four hundred merchants affected by fire disaster by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in Collaboration with Delta State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA.

Oghenero Eghweree reports that Delta State Government also provided a token to assist those affected by the fire disaster.

Oghenero Eghweree

Environment

NEMA Pledges FG’s Effort over Dugbe Market Inferno

By Web News 878

National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA has pledged Federal Government’s effort to assist victims of yesterday’s fire outbreak that razed about nineteen shops and a building at Lebanon Street, Dugbe, Ibadan. 

Southwest Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr Slaku Bijimi made the pledge while assessing situations at the scene of the fire incident in company of secretary of the State Emergency Management Authority, SEMA, Mr Lukman Arasi. 

The NEMA boss said a comprehensive report and recommendations on the outbreak will be forwarded to the federal government through the national headquarters of the agency, with a view to assisting the victims.

Mr Bijimi appealed to shop owners to insure both their shops and goods in them to reduce the adverse effects of possible loss. 

Also speaking, Secretary, Oyo State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Lukman Arasi who sympathised with the victims, said the state government would take appropriate steps to assist victims. 

While appealing to wealthy individuals to come to the aide of the victims, Mr Arasi called on retailers to take more precautionary measures at averting recurrence of such disaster. 

Mosope Kehinde

Lifestyle

NEMA, Delta SEMA, Provide Succour to Flood Victims

By Web News 1373

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in collaboration with Delta State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, has commenced the distribution of relief assistance to victims of the 2019 flood disaster in parts of Delta State.

Delta State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Mr. Omamofe Pirah, at the occasion in Asaba, noted among the first batch of beneficiaries of the exercise were communities in Oshimili North and Oshimili South Local Government Areas, while victims from other affected locations would be captured in subsequent batches.

Mr. Pirah also urged residents of the state to clear their drainages in preparation for the coming rainy season and its attendant challenges in the state.

Also, the Head, Edo Operations office of NEMA, Mr. Dahiru Yusuf, in a remark observed that the delay in the distribution exercise was due to the difficulties in accessing some of the communities affected by the flood disaster.

Mr. Yusuf commended the management of Delta State Emergency Management Agency for their role in saving lives and properties during the difficult period for the victims and expressed the readiness of NEMA to providing relief materials to alleviate their sufferings.

Meanwhile, some of the beneficiaries who spoke to Radio Nigeria after receiving the relief assistance which included food items, blankets and mattresses lauded the federal and state governments for coming to their aid.

Oghenero Eghweree