UCLIQ/Edna
The flood crisis in Nigeria has reached a critical level where huge portions of the country have been destroyed.
Heavy rains these days have caused flooding throughout the country, but northeastern and southeastern areas, especially where rivers have burst their banks, are experiencing one of the worst catastrophic situations.
A statement released by the Nigerian government says the floods have so far affected several thousand households, most of whose occupants moved into displacement camps.
National Emergency Managtement Agency of Nigeria(NEMA) was marshalling resources to provide emergency needs in the forms of food, potable water, and drugs. This enormous disaster has, in fact, gone beyond the local ability to respond.
These latest floods come with the destruction of roads, bridges, and homes-most of them swept by raging waters.
Several key highways have been rendered impassable; hence, a map that may lead to a general cutoff from supply and isolating communities could be drawn. Schools and health facilities have also been affected; some being repurposed as emergency shelters.
Apart from the immediate effect, the floods have also heightened health concerns. Standing water has elevated the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and malaria.
While the government has given warnings and is in coordination with health organizations to avert an outbreak, the effort is being channeled to make it possible for the affected communities to have access to medical care and necessary vaccinations.
Farmers in the region have been hit even harder, as large swathes of farming land have been submerged.
This has resulted in loss of crops and livelihood, adding to food insecurity among an already precarious population.
The Ministry of Agriculture is assessing the damage and coordinating with aid organizations to provide support to affected farmers.
The local authorities have made an effort to raise awareness and preparedness on the issues of concern caused by the flooding. They want strong infrastructure and flood management systems to avoid disasters occurring in the future.
