Residents along waterways on alert as Anambra braces for flood

Emergency management agency in Anambra has urged residents living along waterways to stay alert and ready to evacuate if water levels rise to dangerous levels. Executive secretary of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, Paul Odenigbo has also assured the agency has adequately prepared for residents’ safety and comfort, with provision of food and water. Floods […]

Emergency management agency in Anambra has urged residents living along waterways to stay alert and ready to evacuate if water levels rise to dangerous levels.

Executive secretary of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, Paul Odenigbo has also assured the agency has adequately prepared for residents’ safety and comfort, with provision of food and water.

Floods have already submerged farms in areas including Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Anambra East and West.

In other communities water has reach window level on some buildings.

Officials have been taking daily measurement report of water levels from the National Inland Waterways and confirm continued increase.

The National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) and the state outfit are to jointly assess communities already flooded across the state.

It came after prediction that Anambra would be one of the eight states to be affected by flood, prompting preparation to mitigate the adverse effects of the flood in all the flood prone local government areas, said Odenigbo.

He gave the assurance while briefing newsmen in Awka, however noted that that those already affected were reluctant to move into the camps, saying they preferred to be accommodated by their relatives living in safer areas.

"SEMA has provided Internally Displaced Persons camps in eight council Areas ready for people habitation but those already affected have declined to move into the camps, preferring to move in with their relatives living in safer areas,” said Odenigbo.