Warri sinks in rain fall

Warri, the oil hub of Delta State, is at high risk as rain continues to fall.It was a comic drama at Cinema Round About, Okumagba layout in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State as rain fell at the afternoon hours of today.Commercial drivers, private car owners, and tricycle drivers were seen driving confusingly in rain flooded waters.It could be recalled that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had earlier warned that Bayelsa, Lagos, Rivers, and Delta states will be at higher risk of flooding in 2023.During the presentation of the 2023 Climate-related Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies in Abuja on Thursday, April 13, Director-General (DG) of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed said the flooding is predicted to result from rising sea levels and tidal surge in the states."This year’s forecast has indicated that there is a high risk of coastal flooding due to expected rise in sea level and tidal surge that may negatively impact agriculture, human settlements and transportation in Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, and Rivers states.“Flash and urban floods are also forecast over many cities and towns due to poor drainage systems and the lack of compliance with town planning and environmental regulations,” Ahmed earlier stated.He noted that 2023 floods could be similar or worse than what occurred in 2022 if adequate preparatory steps were not taken, and called for early action to mitigate or avert possible disasters.“In NEMA, we believe that early warning must be matched with early action. Therefore, we have written letters and attached this document for dispatch to all the 36 State Governments and the FCT Administration with specific mention of LGAs at risk and actions that are expected to be taken by responsible authorities.“We have also produced flood risk maps of areas at risk and uploaded them on our official website and social media platforms for greater access by the public,” he also stated.In 2022, several lives and properties were lost to floods, which affected about 33 states.According to NEMA, 665 people died and 3181 others were injured as a result of flooding in 2022.Over 200 thousand people were displaced and nearly a million farmlands were partially or totally destroyed.However, this is a wake-up call for emergency. PEBNEWS reports.