The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has issued another warning on the need for states and local governments to relocate residents in flood-prone areas to prevent the loss of lives and properties.

The Director General of NEMA, Sani Sidi, gave the warning in a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Sani Datti.

“This warning become indispensible as result of heavy rains and the devastating effect of floods that have been witnessed in most of the communities along rivers, waterways and flood prone areas in the recent time,” the statement said.

Last Friday, the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, disclosed that a six-year old boy died from the flood that submerged more than hundred communities and ravaged 12 of the 21 local governments in the state when water was released from dams in Guyuk and Madagali in the state and Lagdo dam in Cameroon.

There are fears that more floods may be witnessed in some states as rainfall increases and more water is released from the Cameroonian dam.

NEMA has advised states and local governments to act early by introducing flood control programmes such as “clearing of drainages and canals to ensure free flow of water, construction of new drainages where necessary, preventing buildings on waterways and relocating those living along flood plains to safer areas.”