By Toheeb Omotayo
The National Emergency Management Agency and the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency have commenced a joint assessment of damage caused by flooding in communities across the Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The exercise followed torrential flooding that submerged farmlands, damaged residential buildings, and killed livestock in Pututa and adjoining communities in Lafiagi Ward.
The joint assessment team began its inspection on Saturday at the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Muhammad Kudu Kawu, before visiting affected areas to document the extent of the destruction.
Speaking during the exercise, the KWASEMA Secretary, Saadu Magaji, sympathised with the victims and urged residents living in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer locations during heavy rainfall.
“We sympathise with all the victims of this unfortunate flood disaster, and we are here to assess the extent of the damage to determine the needed intervention,” Magaji said.
“We appeal to people living along floodplains to move to higher ground whenever the rainfall becomes intense, as our priority is to protect lives,” he added.
Magaji noted that findings from the assessment would guide the state government and NEMA in deploying appropriate relief materials to affected victims.
“We are documenting the losses and compiling a detailed report that will guide the mobilisation of relief materials and other support to the affected people,” he stated.
The KWASEMA boss also called on traditional rulers and community leaders to intensify sensitisation on flood early-warning alerts.
“We want the local leaders to continue sensitising their people on early-warning information and the necessary precautions to take whenever there is a flood alert,” Magaji said.
The joint assessment team inspected several accessible communities, including Pututa, Esun, Efagi, Kpahso, Kpashakpako, Elumoba, Ebangi, Rupete, Eko, Edogi, Likpata, Gwondangi, Tswako, Gbarigi, and Chewuru.
The exercise came two days after the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, visited the affected communities and directed KWASEMA to document all recorded losses.
“The purpose of this visit is to commiserate with the communities over the flood incident and to see how we can bring succour to those affected,” AbdulRazaq had said during his visit to the Emir of Lafiagi.
“It is a bad situation; we are glad that no lives were lost, though a lot of property was destroyed,” the governor added.
Governor AbdulRazaq subsequently announced N10m in immediate financial assistance for affected residents of Pututa.
He added that addressing the recurring flooding in the area would require federal intervention, particularly the dredging of the River Niger.
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