NEMA announces that the floodwaters in Maiduguri are receding, with normalcy gradually returning to the region. Efforts to assist displaced residents and restore affected areas are ongoing.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), floodwaters that have been widely documented in Maiduguri, Borno State are slowly subsiding and regularity is being restored to the city.
In a statement on Thursday, Zubaida Umar, the Director General of NEMA disclosed that Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst flooding event in history. She shared an update on the situation at hand.
She emphasized the ongoing nature of our work and reiterated that we continue to provide round-the-clock emergency response, monitoring, and assessment. However, she acknowledged the importance of providing updates at this time.
Initially, it is comforting to note that the floodwater levels in Maiduguri are gradually decreasing and there is a sense of stability returning to the city.
Adding to it, Umar mentioned that the search and rescue operation is still ongoing.
“The State Government has set up 8 camps to provide temporary shelter for the victims of the disaster,” she stated.
READ ALSO: Maiduguri Flood Claims 30 Lives, Displaces Over 400,000 Households
Initially, we evaluated that more than 400,000 individuals were impacted. However, with the assistance of various groups such as armed forces and civil society organizations along with the goodwill of Borno State residents themselves – displaced flood victims who aren’t in camps are currently being housed by their relatives at secure locations from high-risk areas.
She stated that NEMA has dispatched three trucks equipped for water purification to the city as a measure towards avoiding the occurrence of diseases caused by floodwater. Furthermore, they are collaborating with chemical corporations in order to sanitize domestic water sources.
Furthermore, we have cautioned individuals to remain watchful for perilous aquatic creatures and particularly snakes who thrive in water habitats.
She added that the government has commenced and will persistently mobilize any available resources to aid in the people’s recovery. Furthermore, they will render every indispensable assistance to guarantee the safety and well-being of those both within and outside camps.
A broken spillway from the Alau Dam resulted in flooding.
