The Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has announced this year’s seasonal rainfall and flood outlook in the state.
In a statement by the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Chief Paul Odenigbo, the agency identified three local government areas namely; Ayamelum, Anambra East and Anambra West as highly probable areas of heavy rainfall.
Chief Odenigbo also disclosed that reports by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) showed that Anaocha, Awka South, Dunukofia, Njikoka, Oyi, Orumba North and South areas are probable heavy rainfall terrains in 2019.
He equally noted that flood outlook for 2019 according to NIHSA indicates that the Anambra-Imo hydrological area would experience heavy deluge which would peak at thirteen thousand cubic metres between July and August with a maximum of fourteen thousand five hundred cubic metres, in September.
The SEMA boss further said that dangerous flash floods are likely to occur in Awka, the state capital and the Onitsha metropolis this rainy season, pointing out that contrary to the 2018 prediction that rainfall in Awka would be one thousand nine hundred and thirty five MM, the actual measure of rainfall in the state capital last year was three thousand six hundred and thirteen MM.
While assuring that the state government under the watch of Governor Willie Obiano would as usual rise to the occasion by taking both preemptive and palliative measures to ameliorate the plight of likely victims, Chief Odenigbo also stressed the need for the citizenry to equally take precautionary measures in order to minimize adverse effects of the impending heavy rainfalls and flooding which he described as natural disaster.
The SEMA Executive Secretary explained that the members of the public can help to reduce adverse effects of heavy downpour and flooding by not dumping refuse inside gutters, in addition to forming the habit of constant de-silting of drainage network especially in urban and suburban centres across Anambra state.
Source: Egbuna Amuta
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