The Deputy Regional Manager, Central Forecast Office, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Abuja, Mr. Cyprian Okoloye, has urged Nigerians to monitor weather forecast in order to save themselves from tragedy.
Okoye, who spoke with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Friday, said the rainy season was at its peak and the only way people could protect themselves was to constantly watch or monitor the daily forecast.
Okoloye said, “We constantly upload a two-day forecast on NIMET’s website. This is to help people know when there will be heavy rainfall, so as not to be caught unawares. This information, as simple as it may sound, is very important. It’s a prediction of how the weather will be for the day, which will also help people monitor their movement. For example, if one plans to visit a flood-prone area and the weather forecasts shows that there will be heavy rain, one will be able to implement all necessary measures to protect oneself.
“Nigerians should imbibe the habit of always checking the forecast. It doesn’t take anything from them. This information is available at one’s disposal. More so, it has been predicted that there will be heavy rainfall up to the third week of July.”
The agency reiterated its warning that people should relocate from flood plains. It stated that the renewed warning came on the heels of various reports that some of the victims of the 2012 floods, especially in Benue State, were returning to the flood-prone areas in spite of earlier warnings.
The Director of Weather Forecasting Services, NIMET, Mr. Ifeanyi Nnodu, on Wednesday, had said though the agency could not play an enforcement role, ongoing enlightenment efforts from other agencies should be given serious thoughts.
The agency listed a number of states likely to be impacted by heavy rainfall as Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Kwara, as well as parts of the Niger Delta and other states close to the River Niger.
Source: Yahoo
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