NEMA launches flood preparedness campaign in Cross River

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) officially launched its 2025 flood preparedness campaign in Calabar on June 6, targeting the state’s growing vulnerability to seasonal flooding.

With 254 communities across 14 local government areas previously identified as at high risk, NEMA’s initiative seeks to bolster resilience and protect lives and property.

Cross River has endured repeated flood incidents in recent years:

• In July–August 2024, floods swept through 21 communities, claiming 15 lives, with thousands displaced and cash crops destroyed

• A 2023 report disclosed that floods obliterated 70 homes in Biase LGA’s communities, causing an estimated ₦100 million in damages.

• More extensive damage occurred in 2019, when NEMA noted 4,370 houses were destroyed, displacing over 51,000 residents.

These recurring incidents reflect both natural rainfall patterns and human-induced factors such as blocked troughs and unfinished infrastructure.

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During the Calabar launch, NEMA’s Cross River zonal coordinator emphasized two main pillars:

Community Sensitization: Encouraging proper drainage maintenance and waste management to avert blocked waterways

Early Warning and Education: Distributing alerts based on Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) forecasts and advising on evacuation and safety measures

State authorities have joined forces: the Cross River SEMA, Red Cross, and NEWMAP have been mobilizing in vulnerable communities—conducting advocacy walks, distributing flyers, and mapping safe evacuation routes.

“Our work cleaning drainage and advising relocation from flood-prone zones shows commitment,” said the state Commissioner for Environment.

Dr. Samuel Egbai, a community leader in Biase LGA, voiced frustration over a failed culvert project: “The abandoned culvert has left Akpet Central vulnerable” — citing property losses worth over ₦100 million

James Okon, a displaced farmer in Calabar South, recalled losing his cassava and yam stocks to floods. “We’ve been sounding alarms, yet government help came too late,” he lamented

Experts say recurrent flooding in Cross River stems from both increased rainfall and urban mismanagement—like improper waste disposal and infrastructural neglect.

NEMA’s 2025 campaign is an important first step. But calls are growing for long-term structural interventions: culvert construction, riverbank reinforcement, and sustainable urban waste systems.

With major flooding predicted across 31 states in 2025, including Cross River, stakeholders emphasize that community participation alongside government action will be the key to saving lives and reducing damage.