See why Ondo, Osun, Ekiti may experience flooding this year — NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency has raised the alarm that about 28 states in the country may experience flood this year due to impending heavy rainfall.

The Federal Government agency also said about 102 local government areas might be at risk of the same menace. The alert came following the warnings from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency on the weather forecast.

The Director of Operations of NEMA in charge of Ekiti, Ondo and Osun States, Mr Olusegun Afolayan, stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital while sensitising some residents of the town on how flooding could be avoided.

Afolayan noted that the states under his jurisdiction were also part of the 28 states and the 102 local governments that were risk-prone to flooding.

He said, ” About 28 states and 102 local governments have been earmarked for the possible flooding.

“Flooding is not always caused by heavy downpour alone, but when dams were opened too, it always leads to flooding.

“There is a prediction from NIMET in February, and Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency, in May, informing us of impending heavy rainfall due to climate change and the ozone layer that will lead to flooding.”

According to him, the NEMA in collaboration with the Ondo State Management Emergency Agency organised the sensitisation as part of the agency’s pro-activeness to responding to warning alerts by different agencies dealing with weather.