The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Friday has announced that 29 states and 172 local government areas across Nigeria have been impacted by the ongoing floods, affecting over one million people as reports that 625,239 people have been displaced, with 259 fatalities recorded nationwide.
In an update provided by NEMA’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, these figures were shared during the National Emergency Coordination Forum held on Thursday which reviews strategies and reassigned responsibilities to tackle the increasing challenges posed by disasters, including ongoing rescue operations in Borno State, where the Alau Dam’s broken spillway has intensified the flooding.
According to NEMA, while the Borno State incident is severe, the overall flooding trend aligns with predictions from the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency’s Annual Flood Outlook as the forecast indicated that between July and September, 33 states and 135 local government areas would face high flood risks, with further risks extending into October and November.
NEMA and other agencies are currently providing nationwide interventions, which include deploying additional personnel, distributing essential search and rescue equipment, and providing food and non-food relief items to those affected while assuring that the Federal Government remains committed to offering sustained support to flood victims.