Korede Abdullah 
CROSS RIVER, Nigeria – The Nigerian Red Cross Society has launched a 10-day flood preparedness operation in Cross River State to help vulnerable communities prepare for possible flooding during the 2026 rainy season.
The Cross River flood preparedness campaign is supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund.
The operation begins on Tuesday with a coordination meeting in Calabar, where stakeholders identify Biase and Calabar South local government areas as priority intervention locations based on flood-risk assessments and warnings issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
Cross River State Emergency Management Agency Director General, Efa Nyong, says proactive planning remains the foundation of effective disaster response.
“Effective disaster management depends largely on early warning, preparedness, strong coordination and community-level action,” Nyong says.
The intervention will include early warning dissemination, public awareness campaigns, evacuation planning, community sanitation exercises, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions, radio sensitisation, roadshows and flood awareness programmes in schools.
Red Cross Livelihood and Liaison Officer, Blessing John, says the anticipatory action programme is designed to reduce disaster impacts before flooding reaches critical levels.
“Anticipatory action enables communities to act before flooding reaches critical levels,” she says.
The Manager of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) Calabar Operational Office, Joseph Iyanam, also reiterates the agency’s commitment to working with emergency management organisations.
Representing NiMet Director General Prof. Charles Anosike, Iyanam says timely weather information and collaboration remain essential to protecting lives and property during the rainy season.
Stakeholders at the meeting stress that coordinated emergency planning, accurate forecasts and public awareness are key to reducing flood risks in vulnerable communities.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and improve community resilience against seasonal flooding across Cross River State.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Abah Felicity 