Right now, in many riverine communities in Anambra State, the fear of flooding is the beginning of wisdom. And you cannot blame the people.
According to an Igbo proverb, when the tsetse fly stings a child for the first time, whenever the child sees a big butterfly he runs for cover.
The flooding currently ravaging many states in Nigeria has woken the inhabitants to the realities of thei terrible experience of 2012. From Nzam, Olumbanasa, Umueze Anam, Mmiata Anam, Umudora Anam, Oroma-Etiti Anam, Onono, to Ogbaru, Osamalla, Oduche all in Anambra State and many adjourning communities in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States, the fear of floods haunts both the young and the old. Their apprehension follows the flood disaster that submerged their communities three years ago following the release of water by Cameroon.
Since that incident happened in 2012 till now, many of the affected communities have not recovered from their losses. The flood did not only turn them to dependants; it destroyed their farmlands, economic trees and houses.
The flood wrecked virtually everything that they had laboured to build in the distant past. The communities were submerged beyond measure by the enormous weight of the flooding. It left their once bubbling land desolate. The people lost their entire means of livelihood.
It was unimaginable that people who for many years lived in their homes and supplied food to others were forced to live in refugee camps and depended on other peoples’ benevolence to survive. Indeed, their future appeared bleak, until good spirited individuals came to their rescue.
No doubt, the state and federal governments tried their best; but it would have been better if the government had heeded the warning by Cameroon to take precautionary measures to curtail the disaster.
Ordinarily, flooding is a yearly occurrence in most of these places. Ironically, the flooding could be beneficial to the people who are predominantly farmers and fishermen, as their farmlands become more alluvial and fertile after the flooding. It also enriches their canals and ponds with fishes. But the one of 2012 was unprecedented in the peoples’ history.
Meanwhile, after the 2012 disaster, Nigeria and Cameroon agreed that Cameroon would subsequently issue early warning. This year, Cameroon informed Nigeria on time that there would be gradual release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in that country. And they warned that it would result in massive flooding across the affected areas.
In addition to Cameroun’s warning, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency made predictions that the rain would come late, adding that when it does, it would be massive and could be disastrous in terms of environmental impact such as flooding, with its attendant consequences of loss of lives, property, livelihoods, outbreak of diseases and disruptions of socio-economic activities.
Also, the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency presented the 2015 Annual Flood Outlook for the country and it also confirms that there was every possibility of flooding.
Stating their preparedness for eventualities, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Nana Mede, said that the government was deeply concerned about the likely loss of lives and property as well as other negative environmental consequences that the floods would bring. She said that it had become pertinent for citizens living along flood plains to prepare for relocation to areas considered to be safe and remain at alert.
According to her, the states that would likely be affected are Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Benue, Kogi, Sokoto, Niger, Benue, Anambra, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Lagos.
She explained that the various flooding types to be experienced include river flooding, coastal flooding and flash flooding. Moreover, she said that flash floods could be experienced in some urban locations such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Birnin Kebbi, Ibadan and other towns along the country’s coastline.
The government urged peop
