The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Thursday issued a stern warning to residents living in flood-prone communities across 27 Nigerian states to start relocating. The Agency also reported that the floods caused significant damage to 32,837 homes and 16,488 hectares of farmland. Mr Manzo Ezekiel, NEMA's spokesperson, made this known in a statement in Abuja. NEMA added that mobilised search and rescue teams are distributing essential relief supplies in partnership with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs). '27 states in Nigeria have been impacted by recent floods, affecting 227,494 individuals and damaging 32,837 houses and 16,488 hectares of farmland. 'NEMA is conducting assessments and deploying relief items to support affected communities,' it says. NEMA's Director General, Zubaida Umar, emphasised urgency for communities in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground as the rainy season progressed. Umar also called for increased public awareness on proper waste management to help prevent future flooding. 'The agency emphasises the importance of public awareness on waste management to prevent flooding and advises at-risk communities to relocate to safer areas.' NEMA's Director-General, Mrs Zubaida Umar, reassured farmers about the temporary dry season, pointing out that it would soon pass. Community leaders and stakeholders were urged to implement rapid response measures to mitigate the ongoing flood threats. Source : News Agency of Nigeria