Warning! Rains and floods are coming, are you prepared?

Like last year, the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMET) issued a grim forecast. “2023 will witness an early onset of rainfall accompanied by flooding”, the agency said in its forecast published in January 2023. “Starting from March, coastal areas in the South-South, particularly Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers will experience downpours; Southern Inland cities will see precipitation in April, while central states will see rain in May”, the agency further reported.

NiMET also predicted extended rainfall in Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Enugu, Anambra, Ogun, and Lagos states. It said, “between June and July, the northern states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, and Borno would experience the beginning of rain, which will peak between July and September”.

As expected, these projections call for a prompt response from all, as the nation, business owners, families, and individuals must proactively take action to mitigate the disheartening and devastating human and material losses that arose from the flooding incidents in 2022.

According to Federal authorities, the 2022 floods resulted in 662 deaths across 33 states as the deluge of rain washed away years of investments in agriculture, hundreds of hectares of farmlands, and properties estimated at billions of Naira. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) estimated that over 2 million Nigerians were displaced and that the national economy lost a whopping N4.2 trillion to the floods.

These statistics paint a bleak picture, especially considering the prevailing global inflation and economic vulnerabilities and uncertainties. The authorities were very concerned about the lack of action from their 2022 forecast, and many feared that it might be the case this year, unfortunately. In this edition, we highlight well-curated steps to prompt a response to this year’s prediction and ensure adequate preparedness.

1. Don’t disregard the forecast and advises
The agencies monitoring the weather condition are responsible for providing accurate forecasts to prepare us for the impact of expected rainfalls and their effect.
Everyone is responsible for assimilating these pieces of information to put a mitigating plan in place. This is why these forecasts are released early in the year to help everyone plan accordingly. Yet, thousands are caught unprepared yearly, resulting in dreadful news of human and material losses everywhere. This year, choose to do better by paying attention to the forecast and expert advice to help reduce the losses incurred during rainy seasons.

Read also: Flooding slows agric growth to 2.05% in 2022 Q4

2. Take action
While rainfall is a natural occurrence, the resulting flooding can be acerbated by human action and inaction. This is the time to avoid activities that can lead to drainage blockage. Take every opportunity to educate neighbours about this.
If you live in a flood-prone neighbourhood, plan for a temporary relocation during the peak of heavy rainfall. If possible, relocate permanently. Residents can also come together to build flood prevention dykes if required in their vicinity.

3. Have a solid risk-mitigation plan
Having installed flood prevention and defence measures within your neighbourhood and businesses, it is also smart to have a plan that allows you to recover from financial losses should all your mitigation plans fail or gets overwhelmed.
Sometimes, there is no escaping the floods. But you can be better prepared for every likely scenario. For instance, we believe no one chooses to deliberately establish one’s business in flood-prone areas or drive through waterlogged routes. But whatever the case, being caught in flooded conditions can lead to water-borne health concerns or the destruction of valuables. You have to ensure that you have an insurance plan to allow you to recover your costs.

This is where Leadway’s well-thought-through insurance policies come to play, ranging from a property insurance plan that provides a robust insurance coverage plan offering protection against damages to properties by rain, fire, thunderbolt or flooding.
The auto-insurance plan, be it the third-party or comprehensive plan, ensures that you worry less about the possibility of accidents and damages done to your car due to slippery or waterlogged areas.

If your concern is how to pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses, a health insurance plan via Leadway Health is your best bet to access financially sustainable healthcare services across a network of hospitals. Leadway’s insurance plans are also available to industries and businesses, especially Agribusiness.

For more information on risk management plans that can help you proactively prepare and mitigate losses, please get in touch with Leadway’s risk management experts by visiting www.leadway.com. You can also call the Leadway customer care line on 01-2800-700 or email [email protected] for professional advice. You can also request a callback by visiting www.leadway.com/call-me.

We are also within your reach on WhatsApp via our virtual assistant support on 08129997044 or any of our social media outlets – @leadwayassurance on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also send a DM, and we will revert with all the required information.