The flooding problem

Natural disasters happen every year. While it may seem like we don't have control over these natural disasters, most of them are caused by human actions and inactions.

One natural disaster I have seen over and over again is flooding. This is one disaster that continues to plague states in Nigeria every year. Once the raining season comes with full force, so does the flood.

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People end up getting displaced from their homes. I've seen situations where the flood ends up covering almost an entire car, and even invading people's houses. The resultant effect is damage to people's properties, and most times those properties could be worth millions.

These floods have lead to humanitarian crisis on several occasions, and usually have the potential to cause an outbreak of diseases. When flooding happens, crops get destroyed as farms are submerged. Food becomes scarce. Basic supplies become scarce as well. The ripple effect of this menace can be felt on multiple levels for those affected.

However, I must say that most times, I see this coming. Like I implied earlier, natural disasters like flooding are usually a result of our actions or inactions. For example, I see cases where people confidently build houses on water bodies. They find a way to push the water back by filling the land with sand and building.

During the dry season, the consequences may not be glaring, but the reckoning happens during the raining season. Like I usually say, Water always finds a way. When you push the water, it comes back with full force. This is what happens in the case of flooding. When the water has nowhere to go, it has no choice but to flood the available land.
In addiction, people have the habit of filling up drainages without occasionally clearing these drainages up. When the water comes and the passages are blocked, it tries to find a way and that ultimately leads to flooding.

Majority of the flooding cases are things that can be prevented if people avoid building on places meant for water to flow, and if they keep drainages free. The resultant losses can therefore be avoided.

Be that as it may, when a disaster like flooding hits, it is important to stay safe and alive. This entails quickly evacuating to a place not affected by the flooding. Also, for those that live in flood prone areas, it is safer to lookout for early signs and warnings of flooding.

In conclusion, it is important to note that when we mess with nature, it retaliates.