THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has predicted that the 2023 rainfall will be below average in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano and Bauchi.
NEMA Director-General Mustapha Ahmed made the projection while presenting the 2023 Climate-Related Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies in Abuja on Thursday April 13.
“The prediction also indicated rainfall amounts range to be average and above average during the year. The exception to these are for parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna and the FCT that are likely to observe below-average rainfall,” he said.
Although Jigawa is predicted to experience minimal rainfall in 2023, it among the states ravaged by floods in 2022.
At least 50 people died in flooding incidents in Jigawa last year, with hundreds of people displaced and relocated to temporary camps.
The ICIR reported on hardships encountered by residents who were forced to live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps within the state.
Although the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said it had distributed foodstuff to the survivors of the floods, residents battled hunger within the IDP camps.
The NEMA boss, Ahmed, also announced that Bayelsa, Lagos, Rivers, and Delta states are at higher risk of flooding in 2023.
The 2023 floods in these states is predicted to be worse than the experience of 2022 if adequate steps are not taken to mitigate or avert the disaster by relevant authorities.
“In NEMA, we believe that early warning must be matched with early action. Therefore, we have written letters and attached this document for dispatch to all the 36 State Governments and the FCT Administration with specific mention of LGAs at risk and actions that are expected to be taken by responsible authorities.
“We have also produced flood risk maps of areas at risk and uploaded them on our official website and social media platforms for greater access by the public,” Ahmed said.
According to NEMA, 665 people died and 3181 others were injured as a result of flooding in 2022.
Over 200 thousand people were displaced and nearly a million farmlands were partially or totally destroyed.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.
Some towns in Edo state will be attected also.