The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has dispatched an emergency response team to Kogi State following severe flooding that has impacted over 1,659 residents and displaced 517 individuals. NEMA Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, stated that mobile water purification equipment has also been deployed to provide clean water for affected families.
As of October 14, 2024, the flood has affected 1,601 houses in Kogi, though no lives have been reported lost. The deployment of specialized staff aims to assist the Kogi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in rescue operations and community assessments.
Nationwide, flooding has impacted over 1.2 million people across 33 states and 208 Local Government Areas (LGAs). So far, 317 lives have been lost, 713,691 people displaced, and 180,828 farmlands affected.
In response, NEMA has activated its regional offices and prepositioned equipment for timely evacuation and rescue operations. The agency has also coordinated with various disaster response units and the Nigerian Red Cross to provide relief and assist displaced persons in safe locations, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Residents in flood-prone areas, particularly along Rivers Benue and Niger, have been urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with emergency responders as NEMA continues to monitor the situation.
