Flood: Kogi orders residents living in river banks to relocate immediately

Flood: Kogi orders residents living in river banks to relocate immediately

Monday, September 26, 2016 5:43 pm


File photo: A flooded area

File photo: A flooded area

 

Residents residing along the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue in Lokoja are now gripped with fear of possibility of flooding as the water level in both rivers rose to 9.2 centimetre.

A statement issued on Monday in Lokoja by Kogi State Ministry of Environment, confirmed that the water level in both rivers was close to the 9.9 centimetres which led to the 2012 flooding.

“With this development, flooding is very likely in some communities along rivers Niger and Benue and their tributaries,’’ the statement, signed by Ms Dorathy Onoja, Public Relations Officer of the ministry said.

It advised residents living along river plains to immediately relocate to higher grounds for safety of their lives and property.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited some communities on the bank of River Niger, reports that the river might overflow its bank anytime from now.

NAN observed that some of the apprehensive residents were packing their personal effects in case of any eventuality.

NAN recalled that the 2012 flood ravaged 43 communities in nine local government areas of the state.

No less than 33 persons lost their lives while properties including houses, livestock and farms worth billions of naira were destroyed in the disaster. (NAN)


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