Christian Aid and other stakeholders on Thursday sensitised residents of four flood-prone communities in Kaduna State to disaster preparedness ahead of the peak of the 2026 rainy season.
The sensitisation, conducted under the Enhancing Preparedness and Response (E-Prep) Project, targeted Kigo Road and Rafin Guza in Kaduna North Local Government Area, and Karatudu and Nasarawa in Chikun Local Government Area.
Mr Michael Agbo, Head of Communications, Christian Aid, said the exercise was aimed at equipping residents with knowledge to reduce flood risks and respond appropriately during emergencies.
He said the selected communities were vulnerable to flooding because of their proximity to waterways and blocked drainage channels, which often worsened the impact of heavy rainfall.
Agbo said many residents often remained in flood-prone areas in spite of recurring floods due to ancestral attachment to their homes and fear of losing property to theft.
According to him, continuous public sensitisation and timely dissemination of weather forecasts would enable residents to take appropriate safety measures before, during and after flooding.
He urged the Kaduna State Government to halt land allocation in floodplains and waterways, while advocating the dredging of rivers to improve water flow and reduce flooding.
Agbo added that the increasing impact of climate change underscored the need for sustained early warning campaigns and improved community preparedness to mitigate disaster risks.
Also speaking, the Central Coordinator of KADSEMA, Mohammed Hassan, said the awareness campaign became necessary as the rains had intensified and flooding had begun to affect some communities.
Hassan urged residents living in waterways and other flood-prone areas to relocate to safer locations before floodwaters swamped their homes and destroyed property.
He said that although no government-designated temporary shelters had been provided, residents at risk should move to safer parts of their communities pending further intervention.
Hassan described early evacuation as the most effective measure for reducing flood-related loss of lives and property during periods of heavy rainfall and flooding.
The E-Prep Project is designed to strengthen community preparedness and response to disasters through public awareness, early warning and disaster risk reduction initiatives in vulnerable communities.
The representatives of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), KADSEMA, NSCDC, Red Cross, Safety Awareness and Environmental Support Initiative (SAISI) and other stakeholders attended the event.
The representatives of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attended the event.
Also present were representatives of the Red Cross, Safety Awareness and Environmental Support Initiative (SAISI), and other relevant stakeholders.
