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As the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) commenced the rehabilitation and maintenance of its manual gauging stations spread on the major rivers and their tributaries in the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has revealed the true figure of 2022 flood victims.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the NIHSA commenced the rehabilitation and maintenance of its manual gauging stations, following the devastating 2022 flood disaster.
The activity is targeted to reposition the hydrological monitoring stations, the majority of which were affected by the flood, and to restore them to the functional status before the onset of rain in the new year.
“This will ensure continuous river flow measurement with a view to having reliable data and information from strategic stations at different points/locations for river flow and flood forecasting, including flood early warning and the overall management of the nation’s water resources,” a statement by NIHSA reads.
TNG gathers that the field exercise is jointly being undertaken by the staff from the Agency’s Headquarters and the Zonal Offlices.
The host communities where the hydrological stations were sited were also sensitized on the significance of the stations and the need for security and sustenance of the stations.
Some of the stations that have been rehabilitated/maintained are: Kiri and Dandinkowa (on River Gongola), WuroBoki and Numan (on River Benue) and Gassol (on River Taraba).
2m displaced by 2022 flood disaster – NEMA
Meanwhile, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General, of NEMA disclosed on Monday that 2,430,445 people were displaced by the 2022 flood disaster that ravaged different parts of the country.
Mr Ahmed said this at the opening of a one-week strategic executive course for Nigeria Emergency Management Stakeholders on Monday in Abuja.
The course had as participants, heads of state emergency management agencies, heads of NEMA’s zonal, territorial and operational offices, among other partner agencies.
Ahmed said that the capacity building training was expedient at a time when the country was recovering from the impacts created by the 2022 flood disaster.
He added that the training which would afford the participants to share their experiences, would also provide an opportunity for them to develop holistic approaches to disaster and crises management in the country.
“This event is taking place in the immediate aftermath of the devastating 2022 flood disaster which is unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
“Records indicate that 662 persons have lost their lives, 3,174 others have suffered injury and 2, 430, 445 individuals have been displaced by the floods.
“Thousands of houses, hectares of farmlands and several critical national assets were destroyed by the raging floods.
“NEMA in collaboration with state governments and other partners are currently working assiduously towards the long-term recovery of impacted communities across the nation,” he said.
The director-general also called on the participants to cascade the new ideas learnt to their various states and local emergency management committees to prepare early against future flood disasters.
Mr Musa Zakari, the Director, Human Resource Management, NEMA, said that the training was apt as it would assist in re-examining new and efficient approach to disaster management.
“Rapid changes in climate has resulted in the increase in the frequency of natural disasters across the nation.
“Hence the objective of this seminar is to assist the agency and its critical stakeholders in providing unique international brand of disaster management education, training and simulation that can augment existing senior Officers training provision within the country,” he said.
Alhaji Abbas Idriss, the Director-General, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who spoke on behalf of the participants, appreciated NEMA for organising the training.
He added that the training would build their capacity and strengthen their knowledge as they respond to disasters in the country.
The training had experts from the Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre, UK, as resource persons.