TheNewsGuru

Tag: Flood

  • Benue flood: There might be food drought later this year – Gov Ortom

    The governor of Benue, Samuel Ortom has expressed concern over the flood that has led to the displacement of over 110,000 people, destroying a countless number of houses – also led to the destruction of a large portion of farmlands and food storage facilities washed away.

    He said the people the state and Nigerians, in general, may experience food scarcity later this year as a result of the flood.

    Ortom stated this yesterday when he embarked on an on-the-spot assessment of some villages and farm lands washed away by flood.

    According to the state governor, “we are having a serious issue on our hand. Benue is agrarian state and we have decided to go into an area where we have a comparative advantage by initiating series of incentives to make Benue feed the country, but we can see the level of destruction the flood has caused; I’m afraid this will not lead to a shortage of food scarcity this year.

    “Two camps have already been opened in Makurdi to ensure that the displaced persons have shelter and receive assistance; chairmen of the 23 LGAs have been directed to use some primary schools as designated camps for affected victims in their areas.

    “Let me use this opportunity to express the deepest appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for immediately coming to the aid of the victims and directing the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to support persons affected by the flood in Benue state.”

  • Houston floods: 9 dead, 30,000 people displaced as Harvey floodwaters rise

    Floodwaters are expected to rise still further in the inundated Texan city of Houston, where more than 30,000 people have been forced from their homes in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

    Historically heavy rains have fallen for three days and the downpour is forecast to continue.

    Harvey, downgraded to a tropical storm, is now beginning to affect Louisiana.

    There, New Orleans – devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 – is preparing for flooding.

    Mayor Mitch Landrieu is urging residents to “stay home” and “stay off the streets”.

    In Houston, forecasts suggest that some areas in and around the city could see up to 12in (30cm) of rain on Tuesday, bringing the total rainfall from Harvey to about 50in.

    At least nine people are reported to have died in the Houston area. Six members of the same family died trying to flee rising floodwaters, relatives told US media.

    The city’s police chief has said he is worried about how many bodies will be found when the floods abate.

    The city – the fourth largest city in the US – did not order an evacuation amid concerns about 2.3 million fleeing residents leading to chaos and deaths on the roads, with the possibility of floodwaters trapping people in their vehicles.

    Thousands of people are reported to have been rescued by the authorities. Many have been spending the night at a huge shelter in central Houston.

    Rescuers are trying to reach stranded people while the governor of Texas has approved the deployment of all 12,000 members of the state’s National Guard to assist.

  • Photos: Flood wreaks havoc in India, over 200 dead

    More than 200 people have died and 10 million affected in recent floods and landslides across India as the country’s IT capital Bangalore was the latest to grapple with the torrential monsoon rains.

    “In the eastern state of Bihar, the floods have killed 56 people since Sunday and affected nearly seven million,’’ State Disaster Management Official, Pratyay Amrit, said.

    Major rivers in Bihar, which neighbours Nepal, were overflowing, causing thousands of huts to wash away and damage to bridges, highways and crops.

    The deaths were due to wall collapses, drowning and electrocution, while thousands of homeless were lodged in government-run relief camps.

    The state officials said that 28 people have also died in the fresh wave of flooding in the north-eastern state of Assam since Thursday.

    More than three million people were affected either displaced, stranded or suffering damage to crops and property.

    Another 46 people died in a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains in the northern mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

    In neighbouring Uttarakhand, 17 people were killed and more than 30 including soldiers were missing in floods, domestic media reported.

    Eight more people were killed in floods in the eastern states of West Bengal and Meghalaya.

    India’s IT hub of Bangalore was deluged by heavy overnight rains between Monday and Tuesday, the worst since 1890, broadcaster NDTV reported.

    The downpour flooded several areas of the city while electricity supplies were cut as a precautionary measure.

    Office-goers faced a tough time as several arterial roads and subways were waterlogged.

    More rain was forecast in the coming days in the flood-hit areas, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.

     

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Flood: Ambode warns Obalende shanty owners to quit in 48 hours

    The Lagos State Government on Tuesday served a 48-hour “Abatement Notice from July 25 to July 27 to all owners of illegal structures and shanties, including containerised shops around Obalende.

    The Head, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Task Force, Mr Adebayo Taofiq, said in a statement that the illegal structures were blocking the drainage and partly responsible for the flooding in Lagos.

    “The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed that these illegal structures and shanties, including containerised shops, were directly constructed/placed on blocking the free flow of drainages.

    “They are also blocking the canals around Obalende thereby causing floods whenever it rains.

    “The initial six-month notice from the government expired recently but the law permitted this new 48 hours Abatement Notice to be served before any demolition,’’ Egbeyemi said in the statement.

    The statement added that the chairman said that the perennial flooding experience in some parts of the state were not natural but a “Man-Made Disaster’’.

    “This is due to carelessness of members of the public by dumping refuse and used tyres into secondary and primary water channels, canals and drainages.

    “The present administration is spending much on infrastructure development which includes clearing of drainages and canals across the state.

    “There is the need for an Attitudinal Change from members of the public to support the government in securing the environment.

    “I implore owners of such illegal structures, shanties and containerised shops around Obalende, including under bridges to remove them within 48 hours of this notice or have them demolished by the government,’’ it said.

    Egbeyemi in the statement added that motor mechanics and all other forms of unauthorised commercial activities within Obalende and its environs were also affected by this notice.

    “We seek for a total compliance and maximum cooperation from the people around Obalende.

    “We also advise miscreants and hoodlums around the area to relocate outside the state as anyone arrested would be immediately be charged to court,’’ the statement said.

     

    (NAN)

  • Flood: Photos, video of rain-soaked Asaba

    As rain continues to relentlessly fall in its season, parts of Asaba, the Delta State capital, were submerged in flood yesterday following a heavy down pour which lasted for hours and caused gridlock on major roads, especially on Okpanam Road.

    Among the major roads that suffered from the torrential rain are, Okpanam Road, DBS Road, SSS Road, West end among others.

    The flood reportedly led to the collapse of parts of the fence of the State Broadcasting Station, DBS, also cut off the State Police headquarters and Okpanam village from the Asaba metropolis.

  • Flood: Eko Disco restores electricity to Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi

    Flood: Eko Disco restores electricity to Lekki, Victoria Island, Ikoyi

    The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) says it has restored electricity supply to areas where its injection substations and equipment were submerged by flood on July 8.

    Mr Godwin Idemudia, the General Manager, Corporate Communications Unit of the company, made this known in an interview newsmen in Lagos.

    NAN reports that EKEDC had on July 8 announced power outage in Lekki, Ikoyi and Victoria Island as a result of flood that destroyed the company’s injection substations and equipment.

    Idemudia commended consumers in the affected areas for their patience and understanding during the period of outage.

    He urged them to be safety conscious and avoid touching electrical appliances with wet hands.

    Idemudia also advised them to always call the attention of professionals to electrical fault in their households or areas of residence.

    “Residents should be careful not to touch our equipment and poles during flood.

    “Whenever you noticed that our poles are on the ground, the first thing you should do is to stay away and call the attention of nearest EKEDC station to it,’’ Idemudia said.

     

    NAN

  • Prepare for more heavy downpour, floods, FG warns States, Nigerians

    Prepare for more heavy downpour, floods, FG warns States, Nigerians

    The Federal Government has alerted State Governments to sensitize residents in their territory of imminent heavy downpour and the consequential flood that is likely to come with it.

    According to officials, last week’s flooding is as a result of the delay in rainfall which caused a long duration of torrential downpour in major cities.

    The government also predicted that the monsoon wind would bring rain from the West Africa coast around between June 22 and September/ October. This is expected to the land along with sea rise that could lead to increase in the amount of water in low lying coastal areas of Lagos and other states.

    Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu, who gave the update on Wednesday in Abuja said flood would spread to 30 states and over 100 Local Government Areas.

    According to the minister, a sensitization of the entire nation by visiting the grassroots would be embarked upon.

    He said: “Summary of the alert is that approximately thirty (30) states and over one hundred (100) LGAs are categorised as high flood risk areas and therefore could expect flooding.

    “The rains did not start early this year, thereby possibly causing long duration torrential downpour and causing unexpected urban/flash floods in areas with non-existing or inadequate drainage system in the country.

    “The flow of surface water are being monitored by NIHSA while alerts will continue to be issued. Also, sensitisation of the entire nation by visiting the grassroots will soon be embarked upon.

    “Urban/flash floods (i.e overflow due to sustained rainfall) in the urban cities or semi urban areas can be reduced with effective and adequate drainage systems. People must not use this facility as refuse bins which will block and render the facility useless with the probability of flooding heightened when it rains.

    “People in the riverine areas must not erect residential structures on the flood plains as these areas are an extension of the river space. Unfortunately, people have refused to yield to advice.”

    “It is therefore suggested that state and local governments should do more to enforce environmental laws/town planning guidelines, so as to check such uncontrolled physical development activities,” he added

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has approved the release of N1.6 billion bailout fund to 16 states affected by the flood.

  • Flood: Osinbajo approves release of N1.6bn bailout to Lagos, Niger, Enugu, 12 other states

    Flood: Osinbajo approves release of N1.6bn bailout to Lagos, Niger, Enugu, 12 other states

    Sequel to the devastating effects of the heavy downpour last week on most states in the country, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has directed the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, to immediately release N1.6 billion for the 15 states ravaged by floods.

    The states include; Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Lagos, Plateau, Sokoto, Edo and Bayelsa

    Spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, made the disclosure to newsmen after the Federal Executive Council, FEC.

    Adesina said the money will help cushion the effects of the disaster on residents of the states.

    He explained said the fund “would be taken from the Federal Government’s Ecological Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria”.

    He said the Minister of Finance has been directed to release the money directly to the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, for onward distribution to the affected states.

  • Flood: Lagos Assembly summons Commissioner for environment

    Flood: Lagos Assembly summons Commissioner for environment

    Sequel to the massive flood that affected the entire Lagos metropolis on Saturday, the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) on Monday summoned the Commissioner for Environment in state, Mr Babatunde Adejare, to appear before it on Tuesday to explain what the government is during to prevent a recurrence especially now that the raining season is fully here.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the flood affected major parts of the state, especially Lekki, Victoria Island, Ajah, Ikoyi and Lagos Island, which experts attributed to a torrential rainfall.

    The House, however, said that it had become necessary for the commissioner and his team to brief the House on efforts the ministry was making towards addressing the problem.

    The resolution followed a motion moved by Mr Gbolahan Yishawu, the Chairman House Committee on Waterfronts Infrastructures.

    The motion, which was against flooding in the state, was co-sponsored by 10 other lawmakers.

    Yishawu said: “increase in perennial rainfall has wreaked havocs in many states, particularly in Lagos.

    “The downpour and thunderstorms over the weeks have left hundreds homeless with massive loss of business, incomes.

    “It has also caused damage to properties and loss of lives. Major roads have been flooded, especially around Ajah, Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi areas of the state.’’

    According to him, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has linked the increase in the volume of rainfall and rising sea levels to global climate change which resulted in incessant flooding.

    Yishawu lamented over flagrant disregard to environmental and physical planning laws and guidelines in the state.

    “Many residents have chosen to build illegal structures on drains and water ways, with construction and sand filling works around the Lagoon and waterfront in the state.

    “All these have compounded effects of the rainfall,’’ he added.

    The lawmaker said that the illegal construction, improper disposal of solid waste in canals/gutters and reclamation of wetlands if not urgently checked would continue to cause flooding.

    “We are aware of the efforts of the state government in abating flooding within the state which includes clearing of drains, expansion and rehabilitation of existing collectors and canals to allow for free flow of water.

    “The state government as well has carried out several sensitization of members of the public on the dangers of dumping refuse into canal and illegal construction in drainage paths,’’ he said.

    The lawmakers took turns to support the motion.

    The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who also expressed concern, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Azeez Sanni, to write and invite the commissioner and his team.

    The House adjourned its plenary until July 11.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Trending: Photos of newly wedded couple stranded after flooding in Lagos

    Trending: Photos of newly wedded couple stranded after flooding in Lagos

    Lagos Flood – As more photos, videos trickle in on the internet, it becomes apparent that yesterday’s flood which ravaged some parts of Lagos left more jokes on Lagosians [Especially those on the lowland and others who stay close to water bodies] than we all imagined.

    A photo of a newly wedded couple has joined the list of the so many interesting news conversation netizens are sharing in the social media space.

    The photo shows an unidentified groom with his bride, an ‘Oyinbo’ who after having their wedding at the Ikoyi Registry almost had their day ruined by the flood which paralysed activities in that part of Lagos State.

    TheNewsGuru.com had earlier published photos and videos of several areas of Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lekki and Victoria Garden City, VGC, areas of Lagos state submerged by the flood, due to the heavy rainfall experienced in the state.