Health
Flash flood under control, Delta assures residents
Efecha Gold
The Delta State Government has described the flooding currently affecting parts of the state as flash flooding, assuring residents that the situation is not yet the major flood that usually leads to widespread displacement.
The Commissioner for Bureau for Special Duties, Terry Etacherure, disclosed this on Tuesday in Asaba while speaking on the state’s preparedness for flooding and other emergencies.
Etacherure said flooding was an annual occurrence in Delta and other parts of the country, stressing that the state government had continued to put measures in place ahead of the peak of the rainy season.
He said the government had established a flood committee, which he chairs, to coordinate the state’s preparedness and response to flooding.
According to him, the committee comprises representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, as well as officials from local government areas prone to flooding.
The commissioner said the state had also identified locations that could serve as internally displaced persons camps if residents of flood-prone communities needed to be evacuated.
He explained that the current flooding was largely caused by heavy rainfall and blocked drainage channels.
“What we are having right now is not even the major flood. It is what we call flash flooding. Once the rain stops falling for about two or three days, you see the water recedes,” he said.
Etacherure, however, warned that indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainage channels was worsening the situation in some communities.
He said the government had continued to sensitise residents on the need to keep drainage channels clean, while officials were also removing refuse and other obstructions from waterways.
The commissioner said some areas that experienced flooding usually recovered quickly after their drainage channels were cleared, allowing the water to flow away.
He disclosed that officials recently visited an area close to a bridge where residents were allegedly dumping refuse and took steps to clear the obstruction.
Etacherure said his ministry also had a committee responsible for visiting communities to educate residents on how their activities could either prevent or worsen flooding.
He, however, acknowledged that permanently addressing flooding would require huge investment in drainage infrastructure and other long-term measures.
“Flood itself is not something we can immediately stop because it is a natural thing. It is going to involve a huge amount of money,” he said.
On buildings allegedly constructed on waterways, the commissioner said the regulation of such structures was primarily the responsibility of the ministry in charge of urban development.
He added that action had already been taken against some structures identified as obstructing waterways.
Etacherure said the Bureau for Special Duties was also working with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant agencies to manage the situation.
He stressed that flooding required a coordinated response because it affected communities across the state and could not be handled by one ministry alone.
On relief efforts, Etacherure said the state government had relief materials in stock and would distribute them to residents affected by flooding based on their needs.
He said the government had consistently visited communities affected by flooding to assess the situation and provide assistance.
According to him, the state would activate its emergency response plans if the flooding worsened.
“We have already put measures in place to combat it and, after that, we will start visiting and giving out relief materials,” he said.
The commissioner urged residents to support the government’s efforts by keeping drainage channels free of refuse and avoiding activities that could obstruct the free flow of water.
He assured Deltans that the government would continue to work with local governments, ministries and relevant agencies to respond to flooding and other emergencies across the state.
The commissioner also assured Deltans that fire trucks would soon be deployed to newly constructed and renovated fire stations across the state.
His clarification followed concerns over the fact that some of the stations were yet to receive firefighting vehicles.
Etacherure said the state government had already ordered the trucks, adding that the vehicles would arrive after the procurement process is completed.
He said government procurement involved several stages and could not be completed immediately.
“I want to assure the people of Delta State that those trucks are coming,” he said.
He urged residents to disregard claims that the fire stations were useless because they were yet to receive trucks, saying the facilities would become fully operational once the vehicles arrived.
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