WRITTEN BY CHUKWUEBUKA OBINUGWU
Flood disaster, according to researchers, is a sudden calamitous event, bringing great damage, loss and devastation to human lives and property,

especially during rainy season. It is a condition where there is a speedy rush-off of rainwater that results to human casualty and property destruction. Regrettably, despite the adage that prevention is better than cure, so many people still fall victim due to their ignorance and negligence.
The damage caused by flood disaster is mostly immeasurable and varies with the geographical location, climate and the type of earth surface or degrees of vulnerability. This influences the mental, socioeconomic, political and cultural state of the affected area and the people. Experiences have shown that flood disaster, on several occasions, disrupt the normal day to day life, negatively influence the emergency system, while normal needs and process like food, shelter, and health are affected and deteriorated.
The recent flooding that have plagued some states in the federation, causing devastation, have raised great concern about the nation’s stance towards the management and control of flood. As it has been the norm in recent times, Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency makes annual predictions on the outcome of flood in Nigeria and this year is no different.
Furthermore, flooding in Nigeria occurs at the climax of the rainy season, with the first peak in June, before the August break. Thereafter, the month of September ushers in the second peak when the major devastation is expected. The seriousness of the flooding was attributed to a combination of two events, which are the very heavy local rainfall and the release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in nearby Cameroon.
Meanwhile, the problem of flooding is not peculiar to Nigeria alone. In 2007, floods affected 1.5 million people across several countries in Africa, including Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia and Niger. In Nigeria, the worst flooding in recent memory happened six years ago, in March 2012, when the 32 out of Nigeria’s 36 States were affected, 24 severely. More than 360 people lost their lives and almost 2 million people were displaced.
Consequently, being a natural occurrence, flooding oftentimes defy scientific solutions. What is needed across the nation is a comprehensive plan to add up ecological infrastructure to complement engineering infrastructure, specifically, to expand wetland and re-activate floodplains so as to mitigate future flood risks. Instead of letting the nation’s ecological infrastructure degrade, federal and state authorities should work to expand and rebuild it.
In Anambra state, urbanization and industrialization increase the number of roads and buildings, which, in turn, increases the proportion of surface area where water cannot be absorbed into the ground, leading to rapid runoff. This causes flooding during storms. Apart from the physical damage unleashed by flooding, there are negative health implications to worry about as well. Cholera, gastroenteritis and other water borne disease can trigger off, putting increased strain on already over-stretched health facilities.
Specifically, the Anambra State Government has taken the lead in this regard with its announcement that she is to proceed on a comprehensive demolition of all landed properties erected on wetlands, floodplains and drainage channels, especially on major cities and towns. There should also be an increase emphasis on the stricter enforcement of anti-dumping ordinances and other environmental laws. Tougher actions on defaulters are also vital.
Finally, concerted efforts must be geared towards adequate urban planning, policy formulation, enhanced public enlightenment programmes, integration of environmental planning and education into school’s curriculum at all levels. Capacity building towards adaptation and mitigation of climate change should be encouraged. If only Nigerians and Ndi Anambra in particular can judiciously adopt these measures, flood disaster will not ravage our environment anymore.

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