The Ebonyi Emergency Management Agency (EB-SEMA) has advised residents in the prone communities to relocate to a safe location in order to avoid heavy casualties.
The Executive Secretary of EB-SEMA, Mr Ken Oziomaeze told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abakaliki, that the relocation became necessary due to the 2020 rainfall prediction by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
Oziomaeze said the rainfall outlook has identified some flood risk areas in some states and Ebonyi happens to be among.
The executive secretary, who decried the reoccurring of flooding, said that eight out of the 13 local government areas of the state have been identified as flood risk areas.
“The local governments are Ohaoazara, Onicha, Ikwo, Afikpo North, Ezza South, Ohaukwu, Ezza North and Ezza South.
“These eight local governments are constantly affected by flood annually.
“From NIHSA prediction, some areas are highly probable flood risk, while some are probable.
“In Ebonyi, the prediction identified three local governments as highly probable while five are just probable,’’ he said.
According to him, the flood has become recurrent in the state as a result of climate change.
It is imperative to step up plans and measures against the prediction as the season moves towards the peak, he said.
“I urge all residents in the prone zones to relocate to a safe location to avoid loss of lives.
“Do not plant in those areas for now because the prediction shows that the flood may occur between September and October.
“Relocate to the safe zone, maybe during the dry season, you can return and if you have your farm or crops, harvest them now and stop any further planting.’’
To curb flooding, Oziomaeze asked people to desist from building structures on water channels. (NAN)
