The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said flooding affected 673,350 people across 134 local government areas in 28 states, displacing 214,997 and killing 245 as of October 20.

NEMA’s director-general, Zubaida Umar, disclosed this at the National Emergency Coordination Forum on Thursday in Abuja. Ms Umar said the country was confronting interconnected challenges of flooding, cholera and Ebola.

She said the meeting was convened to strengthen coordination as early warning forecasts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) materialised across states.

“The situation before us demands urgent attention. Flooding remains a significant threat with the potential to cause loss of life, displacement and destruction of infrastructure,” she said.

According to her, NEMA’s flood dashboard shows that children constitute 38 per cent of affected persons, women account for 31 per cent, while 3,191 persons with disabilities are among those affected.

She said Akwa Ibom alone accounts for 29 per cent of the affected population, while the North-West accounts for 57 per cent of affected persons by geopolitical zone.

Ms Umar said the link between flooding and cholera was particularly concerning because of exposure to contaminated water and poor sanitation in displaced communities.

Presenting the flood update, Lydia Madu, deputy director (search and rescue) and coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, said forecasts predicted flooding in 36 states and Abuja.

Ms Madu said 14,118 communities in 266 local government areas were identified as high-risk, while 15,597 communities in 405 local government areas were classified as moderate-risk. She said NEMA had activated early warning dissemination, preparedness campaigns and simulation exercises in Adamawa, Cross River, Kebbi and Niger states, while pre-positioning relief items.

Ms Madu said 180,631 households, comprising 711,786 individuals, had so far benefited from relief interventions.

Tony Ephraim, NEMA’s deputy director of planning, research and forecasting, said the forum was critical amid the effects of El Niño, flooding, cholera and Ebola threats.

Mr Ephraim said the forum brought together emergency sector leads, ministries, departments and agencies, the armed forces and humanitarian partners to share information and agree on practical actions for vulnerable groups.

He added that the agency would sustain preparedness, early warning and coordination with partners to ensure timely, evidence-based and people-centred responses across the country.

(NAN)