Following the forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), which indicates that some communities in parts of the country are likely to experience flooding, the manager of Tiga Dam, Alh Abdulkadir Salisu, urges farmers and commuters living in flood-prone areas to adhere to guidelines and prepare for evacuation.
Mr. Salisu disclosed this in an interview with Daily Episode, where he counters the claim that the flash flood submerging some communities in parts of Kano and Jigawa was a result of the Tiga Dam release.
According to him, “The flash flood is a result of runoff from heavy downpours not spilling from our dam; usually, Tiga Dam only starts its spilling from August to September, and we have a mechanism where we alert residents and farmers to vacate to avoid damages or loss of life and property.
“Although some people return immediately after the flood subsides, which is not advisable, it’s necessary we inform people to vacate as early as they can since the runoff has started rushing in some rivers, which leads to some communities and results in flash floods, leading to the wrong assumption that it is a result of the dam spilling.
“There is actually a maximum level to which we reach out to community leaders, especially the district head and the village head; we alerted them to the level of water in the dam so commuters should be ready to evacuate.
“As we are approaching August, people should be vigilant and start getting ready for evacuation. However,
“However, we can’t stop the occurrence and happening of natural disasters, as sometimes they even happen unexpectedly in the night, but taking proactive measures is primary; everyone living in the riverine area or areas identified as flood-prone should do the needful by evacuating before it’s too late”. Salisu added.
LIKE & FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, X, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN & YOUTUBE
