The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has called on the residents of the FCT to brace up for critical weather conditions which is likely to occur as predicted by Nigeria Meteorological Agency (MiNet).
The Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency, (FEMA), Dr Abbas Idriss, in preparation for the extreme weather events has placed the territory’s search and rescue team and other staff of the agency on high alerts. The emergency agency helmsman advised all business operators in the FCT to avail themselves of weather reports periodically to effectively plan their operations. The agency warned that moderate to heavy rainfall could lead to flash floods, which could affect the residents of the FCT.
Dr Abbas Idriss therefore charged the Search and Rescue Team to take proactive measures to avert any loss of lives and property during this period. The warning from the FEMA Boss is coming in the wake of the forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) of heavy rainfall in the coming days in the FCT and some northern states.
According to the early warning issued by NiMet , “Thunderstorm cells are currently observed over the northern parts of the country including Borno, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi and Kano. These are expected to propagate westward to cause thunderstorms to some cities.” According to NIMET, states identified as likely to be affected include Plateau, FCT, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Adamama, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina state.
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NiMet said for areas where thunderstorms are expected, strong winds are likely to precede the rains and as such, trees, electric poles, unsecured objects and weak buildings may be felled. The public was therefore advised to be cautious and stay in- doors especially during heavy rainfall to avoid being struck by lightning.
Dr Abbas Idriss similarly appealed to FCT residents to heed the early warnings and avoid anything that could lead to loss of lives or destruction of properties. He admonished that motorists should not drive through pools of water, and that residents should also avoid indiscriminate dumping of refuse as well as anything that could block the water ways. The FEMA Boss also called on the residents to co-operate with the agency to ensure adequate protection of the environment in order to avoid the consequences of climate change. For help in cases of emergency, the FEMA Director informed residents to always use the 112 emergency toll-free number for prompt response by relevant rescue teams.
