People of the Benue State capital, Makurdi urgently started voluntary sanitation works to prevent 2017 flood. The Nigerian Hydrological Agency predicted future flooding in 30 states, including Benue.
According to Benue online newspaper, there will also be a massive awareness campaign to hit such settlements as Fidii and Abinse.
On Friday, July 21, 2017, the people of Akpehe near Makurdi confirmed flash flooding, with the growing water level from River Benue. It is the biggest causal reason to flooding in Benue.
Laz Apir, the spokesperson for the volunteers, told that Benue state had suffered much from the consequences of flooding previously.
At that time many residents had to live in private camps because the government offered no formal camps.
“Unhappily, many schools were shut down for months,” a resident told a local newspaper. “So we immediately decided to make awareness ahead of the approaching flood, when we heard the Nigerian Hydrological Agency forecast.”
What do volunteers do to prevent flooding? They clear up blocked drains along the Makurdi-Gboko road.
These people can also advise what to do during the flash flood. Volunteers still wait for some help from the government. However, they know that they need to rely only on themselves.
Residents have embarked on an environment cleaning exercise accompanies with an aggressive enlightenment campaign to clear drainages and lessen the damage done by floods.
