The FCT chapter of Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, has called on residents avoid flash points during heavy downpour in the nation’s capital, Abuja, and the satellite towns.
Director-General of FEMA, Alhaji Abbas Idriss, who said the warning had become imperative, in view of wanton loss of lives and property in the flooding that hit the nation’s capital, said the agency would scale-up its advocacy on the danger of flood plain zones.
The warning followed the heavy downpour in Galadimawa area of the territory weekend, which led to the sweeping away of the Director of Finance, Federal Capital Territory High Court, Tony Okecheme.
It was gathered that Okecheme was on his way to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in his official 2017 Toyota Camry when his car got stuck in the flood at Galadimawa roundabout.
The finance director was swept away by the raging flood, but his driver, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, was rescued by some young boys in the area.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja weekend, Idriss stated that the agency has mapped out some precautionary measures by blocking routes that lead to flash point areas within the city center, just as he said that some of the routes will be blocked temporarily to avoid further casualties.
He said: “We are mapping out strategies to avoid further waste of lives and properties within flood plain areas. And one of such strategies is to temporarily block some of the roads that lead to these flash points in Galadimawa, Lokogoma and possibly Area 1 Roundabout.
“We are taking this measure because some motorists underestimate the strength of water and the danger it poses. To us as an agency saddled with the responsibility of saving lives and properties, the temporary closure of such identified routes has become paramount because it is better to travel longer distance and get to your destinations in safe condition than to take shortcut that will eventually lead you to death.
“We are just appealing to residents of the territory, especially motorists, to show some understanding since the blockage will be for a short period of time as other relevant agencies are coming up with permanent solutions to resolve the perennial flooding problems in the territory ”
The FEMA boss, who commiserated with the family of last week’s flood victim, also called on residents to call the emergency toll free number 112 during emergency situation, even as he assured that the rescue team was working round the clock to save lives and property.
Idriss, who revealed that plans had been concluded to organize emergency stakeholders’ forum on flood mitigation and response coordination in the Federal Capital Territory this week, explained that the stakeholders forum, which woudld be declared open by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Christian Ohaa, was aimed at addressing challenges of main causes of consistent flooding in the territory as well as proferring durable solutions to the menace.
He expressed concern that though FCT was not on the list of flash point states, recent developments have called for urgent solutions and called on residents to stop dumping of refuse on drainages.
