Submerged In Water.

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Many states in Nigeria were affected by the severe flooding that happened this year. The flood has displaced so many people from their homes and destroyed critical infrastructure and amenities during its course. It has been regarded as the most devastating flood to happen in the country in decades.

The country's National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) had alerted Nigerians earlier in October about the tendency of flooding in several parts of the country and urged the residents in the prone areas to relocate elsewhere for their safety. The flood eventually happened and NEMA attributed its cause to heavy rainfall and the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon in mid-September.

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The impact of the flood on affected communities has been catastrophic. 1.3 million people have been displaced and over 600 fatalities have been recorded according to NEMA. Houses in rural and urban areas affected by the flood have been immersed in water compelling residents to relocate and reside in other places. Some houses submerged in the flood have collapsed leaving their owners with huge losses and causing some of them to become homeless. Residents have also reported having lost valuable properties to the flood. The flood has also hindered the transportation of people and goods. Most roads and bridges have been submerged in water with incidents of some of them eroding and collapsing. This occurrence has resulted in the restriction of the movement of people and goods. Some victims of the flood have been unable to move out of their present location because of the inaccessibility of routes of transport due to the flood.

Agricultural activities have also been adversely affected by the flood. Farmlands, agricultural products, and storage facilities have been destroyed by it. Farmers have lamented about their losses and the implication the flood has had on their livelihood. A major consequence of the flood on agriculture is an acute reduction in agricultural products for human consumption which threatens the availability of food, especially in the areas affected by the flood. Food prices are likely to spike if the status quo remains the same. The flood has also affected trade and commercial activities negatively. It has made it difficult for businesses to function and forced some of them to suspend their operations temporarily. One of the business establishments affected by this incident is the government-co-owned company, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited(NLNG). The company declared a force majeure(unavoidable catastrophe) on one of its processing plants whose operation was disrupted by the flood. Consequently, the company was unable to fulfill its gas supply obligation. The inability of NLNG to supply its product caused a drop in revenue for the government. Traders in big and small markets were also not spared as the flood prevented them from plying their trade.

There have also been outbreaks of diseases like cholera in flooded communities. Poor hygienic and sanitary practices by victims of the flood are also boosting the spread of these diseases. The sick among them are unable to receive the medical care they need because health facilities are not accessible. Access roads to these facilities have been covered by the flood. Potable water is also unavailable in these communities due to contamination caused by flooding. The flood has also affected educational activities badly. Students are unable to go to school because schools and the roads that lead there have been overrun by water. Academic activities have to be suspended in the affected schools.

The havoc caused by the flood has been overwhelming. People have been displaced from their residences, many lives have been lost, and social and economic activities have been adversely affected. The flood could have been prevented if the Nigerian government had been proactive. The heavy rainfall witnessed this year and the excess water released from the dam in Cameroon rule out the flood as being a natural disaster but rather as negligence on the part of the Nigerian government to put structures in place to prevent flooding. The Nigerian government was supposed to build a dam that will act as a reservoir for the water released from Cameroon and torrential rainfall. If this had been done the flood would not have happened. And if it still happened with this preventive measure taken by the government it would not have been at the magnitude that was witnessed this year. The government has to act in the interest of Nigerians and build dams in flood-prone areas to prevent perennial flooding. A stitch in time saves nine!

The humanitarian aid and support given to the states affected by the flood are commendable. Donations and relief materials from local and foreign donors have been impressive. These efforts have helped to alleviate the damage inflicted on victims of the flood and shown them that others care. It has given them
hope that their ordeal will be over soon and that brighter days lie ahead.

Thanks for reading,
Have a splendid day folks.

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