The Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said that no fewer than three Local Government Areas have so far experienced flood in the state.
The Executive Secretary SEMA, Alhaji Isyaku Abudullahi-Kubarachi, made the disclosure on Friday in Kano at a stakeholders’ meeting after a simulation exercise on communities at risk.
Abdullahi-Kubarachi, represented by the agency’s Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Umar Abdul-Aziz, listed the affected local government areas to include; Sumaila, Kibiya and Tudun Wada.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) had predicted that 14 LGAs in the state are among those with high risk of flood.
Other likely LGAs are; Rimin Gado, Tofa, Kabo, Madobi, Garun Malam, Bebeji, Rano, Dawakin Kudu, Warawa, Wudil, Sumaila, Ajingi, Kura and Dala.
The secretary said the agency’s team had so far visited and assessed the situation, after which a comprehensive report would be made for onward submission to the state government for relief materials.
“I cannot give you the exact number of persons or houses affected until after we finish our reports,” he said.
According to him, after the table top simulation exercise that took place on July 17, the agency and other relevant stakeholders visited two vulnerable communities in Larabar Gadon Sarki in Warawa and Gurjiya in Dawakin Kudu local government areas of the state.
“These two communities are along the river bank of Tiga dam. We evaluated the situation on how to manage information that has to do with emergencies to mitigate flood.
“We sensitised the communities on how to prepare and respond to any emergency or eventuality from Tiga dam,” Abdullahi-Kubarachi said.
He further explained that the agency and stakeholders were looking into possibilities of creating an artificial dam to contain the effect of Tiga dam on vulnerable communities.
The secretary commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for their support in capacity building and financial assistance through collaborative efforts.
On his part, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Coordinator, Kano Territorial Office, Dr Nura Abdullahi, described effective waste management as key to mitigating flood especially in urban areas.
Abdullahi called on the general public to desist from indiscriminate disposal of waste and advised people to avoid building on waterways.
The meeting was organised by SEMA, supported by UNICEF in collaboration with NEMA, Kano State Ministry of Water Resources and Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority.
NAN reports that the meeting was attended by representatives of SEMA Jigawa, Red Cross and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) among others. (NAN)