The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has advised parents and motorists to prioritize safety before embarking on journeys during rainfall as flood levels continue to rise in Anambra State.
The Head of Operations, NEMA Enugu Zonal Office, Mrs. Priscilla Madukwe, gave the advice after leading a team to Anambra to assess flood incidents and monitor water levels.
The visit was to evaluate damage caused by persistent rainfall, which has led to building collapses, loss of lives and destruction of property worth millions of naira in parts of the state.
Mrs. Madukwe, who described the flood incident at Ring Road, Nibo, involving school children as heartbreaking, cautioned parents and motorists to wait for floodwaters to recede before taking their wards to school or travelling.
She noted that the water level at the National Inland Waterways base on the River Niger in Onitsha is rising, and urged residents in riverine communities to stay alert and be ready to move to higher grounds when necessary.
The NEMA team also visited Ogbaru Local Government Headquarters in Atani, where she inspected designated Internally Displaced Persons holding camps and other flood-prone areas.
The Coordinator of the Anambra State Local Emergency Management Committee, Mr. Nnamdi Esmai, said some farmers have begun early harvest as floodwaters continue to submerge farmlands.
He appealed to both the Federal and Anambra State Governments to make adequate arrangements for the evacuation of residents whenever they are asked to relocate to higher grounds.
The NEMA team was accompanied by officials of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA.
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