The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has dispatched an emergency response team to Kogi State in response to recent flooding that has affected several communities.
This action aims to proactively monitor the flood situation nationwide, as stated in an agency release on Wednesday.
The team includes specialists in search and rescue to assist the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency and other stakeholders with rescue and evacuation efforts, as well as damage assessments in the impacted areas.
NEMA Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, confirmed that mobile water purification equipment has also been deployed to provide emergency clean water for affected families.
Umar previously warned states at risk of flooding to prepare for potential disasters.
In light of this, NEMA has activated all its zonal, territorial, and operations offices, prepositioning critical equipment for timely responses, including search and rescue operations and the evacuation of residents to safer areas.
The states identified as particularly vulnerable to flooding include Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, and Kwara.
With the deployment of personnel and resources, NEMA is collaborating with relevant state agencies to establish Emergency Operation Centers for coordinated responses.
This includes community advocacy, evacuation planning, and identifying safe temporary shelters.
Sector leads are prepared to address the immediate needs of those displaced to Internally Displaced Persons camps.
The agency is also coordinating with the Military Disaster Response Units, Nigeria Police, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps to deploy disaster response personnel as needed, along with activating volunteers from the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
Mrs. Umar urged residents in flood-prone areas, especially near Rivers Benue and Niger, to remain vigilant and cooperate with emergency services as NEMA continues to monitor the situation closely.
