The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has advised governments, emergency managers and relevant bodies to use weather forecasts for effective planning.

A NiMet director, Glory Onyegbule, gave the advice at a national emergency coordination forum organised by the National Emergency Management Agency in Abuja on Thursday.

Ms Onyegbule said NiMeT issued seasonal climate predictions for the entire country.

According to her, the agency made stakeholders, particularly emergency managers, know what Nigeria’s climate would look like in 2024  regarding rainfall and other climatic factors.

According to Ms Onyegbule, the heavy flooding in Borno is evidence of climate change.

She advised emergency managers always to act fast, adding that those responsible for dams should protect the integrity of the facilities.

Ms Onyegbule said that flooding might continue to reoccur unless enough efforts are made to take care of places on the floodplain early.

Trond Jensen, the head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,  said that the office was working with NEMA, state emergency management agencies, the military and other stakeholders to assist people affected by flooding in Borno.

Mr Jensen,  who attended the meeting virtually from Borno, said that the organisation’s team was already in Maiduguri supporting the Nigerian government in assisting those affected by the flooding.

Mr Jensen said that the organisation was helping to ensure that people affected by the flooding would have access to food and clean water to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

According to the official, the team also has an online tracking system for response and tracking available emergency stocks, food and non-food items, and shelter materials.

(NAN)