Flood Disaster Looms, NiMet Warns

Fresh natural disasters this August and in September are likely to compound the many troubles of Nigeria.

Our Akwa Ibom State Correspondent, reports that Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, has warned Nigerians to get prepared for heavy rains in the two months.

States of the South-South, erosion-ravaged states of Eastern Nigeria, and coastal communities are likely to be the worse hit.

When this imminent disaster of nature happens, it will threaten food security in a state like Akwa Ibom where cattles are destroying food crops in farms.

In spite of the anti-open grazing policy of the Udom administration, herders freely do their thing at night in Uyo, the state capital.

Enforcement of the no open grazing policy is very weak in the state. Virtually on a daily basis, farmers across the state are crying loud about the havoc cattles are doing on their farms.

However, whilespeaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, Matazu said every Nigerian should expect flooding that may wreak havoc across the country in the next few weeks.

According to him, NiMeT had issued several warnings pertaining to flooding, and heavy downpours for Nigerians to take precautions, but unfortunately, many refused to take action against flooding.

He said Nigerians were in the habit of dumping refuse in drainage channels and cutting down trees, which are the main causes of flooding.

Continuing, he said in the next two weeks, there will be increased rainfall saying that July, August, and September are the most active periods for flooding.

Matazu, while calling on people living in flood planes to evacuate immediately, said there is a global concern especially as it relates to climate change, stressing the need for Nigerians to take weather forecasts seriously

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