Not less than 9,733 houses in Adamawa have been affected by windstorms in 2024, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said.

The NEMA Head of Operations in Adamawa, Mr Ladan Ayuba, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola on Saturday.

He said the agency has conducted assessments in the affected Local Government Areas which include Jada, Hong, Mayo-Belwa, Madagali, and Fufore.

Ayuba also urged residents who reside in the flood-front areas to relocate to safer places or higher ground for their safety.

He said that the warning was necessitated because of Nimet’s predictions that Adamawa would be among the states to experience flooding in 2024.

Ayuba added that the likely areas to be affected are Fufore, Yola-North, Yola-South, Girei, Numan, Lamurde, and Gombi LGAs.

“For your safety, please avoid flood prone areas, stay on higher ground, and stop dumping refuse in waterways,” he said.

The NEMA official also advised residents to listen to radio for relevant information and follow the agency’s instructions.

“You should also not drink or wash clothes with flood water to avoid cholera outbreaks.

“People should only return home when the authorities say it is safe to do so because we are experiencing flooding as a result of release of water from Lagdo Dam of Cameron Republic,” he said.

Ayuba said that sensitization was ongoing and urged traditional leaders to complement the efforts of government by ensuring the message gets to their subjects, as some have no access to media (NAN).