The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has set upon a massive dredging exercise in flood-prone areas of Ebo Town as the agency increasingly integrates disaster risk reduction initiatives in its response strategy.
The NDMA has also set for itself the ambitious target of dredging several meters of gutters in flood-susceptible parts of Bakau.
According to the latest forecast of the Department of Water Resources, The Gambia has been projected to receive above-normal rainfall in July, August, and September.
Greater Banjul Area was forecast to receive more rainfall quantities.
As part of inventive initiatives to forestall and lessen the impact of flood-induced disasters in the Kanifing Municipality, the state disaster management agency will also provide operational support to the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) to facilitate the flow of water through the mouth of the Sankung Sillah Canal as well as smoothening the movement of water through to Kotu stream from Bundung to Bertil Harding Highway.
“Every year, we do carry out some mitigation activities or exercises to see how best to minimize the number of households affected within the country and this year is no exception,” municipal disaster coordinator Ngaigne Jeng told this reporter when approached for comment.
He added: “The agency got funding from the central government called flood mitigation fund and out of that fund for Kanifing Municipality, Ebo Town and Bakau are two wards that are going to benefit by conducting drainage cleaning exercises in their respective wards. And for Ebo Town, we have already started the drainage cleaning…1000m was assigned to the contractor to be cleaned, cleared and the waste dumped to the dumpsite1+ whilst for Bakau, we are supposed to clean 1700m. For sure from Ebo Town, we will move to Bakau.”
Meanwhile last year alone, 1,962 households were affected by flash floods, inundation, wind-storm, and related issues.