(NEWS): 49 Die In Floods, 248,120 Displaced Says Niger Official

          

Malam Mohammed Shaba, Director-General, Niger Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) said the 2012 flood in the state killed 49 persons and displaced 248,120 persons.
Shaba told reporters that the flood, which affected more than 100 communities, injured 63 persons.
“Also farmlands worth N5 billion covering 305,000 hectares and property worth N2 billion were destroyed by the disaster,” he said.
He said that immediately after the disaster, the state government approved N20 million to set up camps and provide quick intervention in the first six identified affected local government areas.
Shaba said the state government later approved additional N150 million as relief fund to 300,000 affected persons in the 20 local government areas of the state.
“Our temporary camps later increased from six to 18,” he added.

(NEWS): Lagos Expects 275 Days Of Rain In 2013

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello has said that the state is expecting 249 to 275 days of rains this year.

Speaking at a media briefing to mark the second year of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s second term in office on Friday, Bello said the rains will not cease until 17 December.

“In order to improve on de-flooding the state, the ministry has employed over 7,800 people in its ongoing construction and dredging works across the state.