Floods: A Recurrent Disaster

Annual floods are a natural phenomenon in many parts of the world. Human habitation, land-use practices and climate change have often influenced floods’ scale and adjoining effects. Flooding has become a yearly occurrence in Nigeria, with 2022 recording the worst it has experienced in decades. Commonly, flooding has been associated with the rainy season but is sometimes exacerbated by man-made activities such as the illegal dumping of refuse in drainages and in Nigeria’s case,  the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. With the occurrence and predictions of the frequency of flooding due to climate change, it beckons to question what can be done to mitigate the recurrent disaster.

The 2022 flooding in Nigeria created a humanitarian crisis through widespread displacement and loss of lives and property. This was pre-informed by the early warnings of potential floods in 2023 from the National Emergency Management Agency for adequate preparations. While states like Nasarawa have made efforts at relocating residents of riverine communities, it is tricky to ascertain how effective these preparations are in other states, as with the flooding situation in Ekiti state following torrential downpours. According to the National Emergency Management Agency, the 2023 flood has affected ten states in Nigeria, displacing over 7,000 people and injuring 75 with five casualties. With the situation on ground, the effects of such a climate crisis can be seen through food insecurity and attendant humanitarian crises. The flood disaster can futher exacerbate the situation in areas such as Benue state, already facing a humanitarian crisis from the farmer-herder conflict.

With flooding affecting people residing along river banks, there is a need for the government and relevant stakeholders to increase pressure on the relocation of people from such flood-prone areas. Where coercion fails, forced relocation funded by the government could be adopted as the next best option. However, the affected population should receive relief materials to manage the humanitarian situation in all circumstances. In addition, collaboration between Nigerian and Cameroonian governments on water release will help minimizes its negative impacts on affected communties.

Modern drainage systems should be built across neighbourhoods as part of the preparation to reduce floods, and residents should be educated on practices to reduce clogging of drainage systems to enable smooth water flow. While this is done, there should be robust campaigns towards enlightenment on the dangers and risks of blocking waterways through illegal dumping of refuse and other materials.

With states such as Ekiti already experiencing devastating floods, there is a need for the National Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Agency to increase efforts towards deployment of personnel, improved equipment, and staff training in disaster management, including evacuation and care for the displaced.

Recommended Reading:

1. Floods: Nigeria submerged
2. A Harvest of Floods in Nigeria: Institutional and Governance Gaps in Nigeria’s Disaster Risk Management
3. Harvest of Floods