Flood: Look beyond relief materials, Engr Akpoyibo tells Delta State Government, others

By Binebai Princewill

The Secretary General of National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Burutu Local Government Chapter, Engr. Akpoyibo John has tasked the Delta State Government, federal Government and other relevant agencies to look beyond providing of mere relief materials to flood ravaged communities each time it occurs.

The Burutu Local Government Area youth leader made the call yesterday via a statement issued to newsmen, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspaper.

He had noted that rather than focussing their attention on providing relief materials, Akpoyibo admonished the government to institute measures that will mitigate flood in communities likely to be affected by the menace.

In his words:”Flooding has become more prevalent over the past decades in Nigeria. The recent incidence of flood disaster in the country has been attributed to increased rainfall and infrastructure failure. Coastal farming communities are the most adversely affected as farms and fishing implements were inundated or washed away by the floodwater and schools closed. An important aspect of flood disaster management is the provision of timely information, necessary for mitigation of the impact of the disaster.

“The Niger Delta is the recipient of over 90% of all the water in the Niger-Benue River systems and 100% of all water from streams rising in the Delta Region. It is also bordered by the Atlantic Ocean; the terrain is flat, and settlements are along the river systems, so the region is exposed to high vulnerability of flood. Research reveals 580 rivers are prone to flooding and are likely to affect 2,148 towns. (1,110 towns can be flooded when water flows up to 1.5km. At 1000m, 794 communities could be flooded and at 500m away 244 communities could also be flooded.

“Delta State have the highest communities at risk when water overflow their banks to about 500m. This is because the State has the highest number of rivers and many communities lie at the banks of these rivers. In Delta State, Ethiope river, River Niger and its other tributaries, Benin River, Escravos River, River Forcados which splits into Okumasi River, Okpara River, Edo River, and Warri River as well as Ramos River which bifurcates into Enikorogha creek transverse the entire landscape of Delta State causing it to flood the State especially Asaba, Warri, Aniocha North and South, Oshimili North and South, Burutu, Patani, Bomadi, Forcados etc.

“For Bayelsa State, 87 communities are at high risk this is because of the many tributaries of the Niger-Benue systems in the State, furthermore the Orashi River though not a tributary of the Niger-Benue systems, also over flows its banks and drains part of Bayelsa where it bifurcate with Kolo Creek resulting in the floodings of Yenagoa, Opuama, Ovom, Opolo, Biogbolo Akaba, Otueke, Azikoro, Yenezue, Ekeke, Amarata, Onopa and environs.

“The Delta state government should employ the use of ASTER data and generate the digital elevation model (DEM) of the State in ArcGIS. Land use can then be classified from visual image interpretation of google earth images using the Multi-Resolution Land Cover classification (MRLC) system or employ the use of the state Aerial photograph, digitized and superimposed on the state contour maps. With these, flood prone areas can be mapped. The mapped areas should be integrated into land use planning as a strategy for evaluation and mitigation of damage caused by flood disaster in the state.

“This would yield better results in developing countries such as Nigeria where emergency and disaster response may not be very swift. Flood mapping may go a long way in developing flood disaster response strategies and reduce the damage resulting from flooding and other extreme natural events. In the hinterlands, proper waste disposal, expansion and cleaning of existing drainages, construction of new ones where necessary, discouraging erection of structures on low lands or flood pathways and increasing the height of sub structures can serve as mitigation measures, which are cheaper measures than recovery and mere provision of relief materials to flood victims.”ENGR. JOHN AKPOYIBO ( MNSE MNISafetyE MNICE )

It would be recalled that Engr. Akpoyibo John is also the General Secretary of The Nigeria Institution of safety Engineers, Delta State Chapter.