Following the development, the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) admonished residents of FCT to heed early warnings to avert avoidable disasters during the rainy season.
Acting Director-General of FEMA, Mohammed Sabo, gave the admonition in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
This followed the 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the first rain experienced in the early hours of yesterday.
Sabo specifically appealed to the residents to clear blocked drainages and clogged gutters to ensure free flow of water throughout the rainy season.
He said disasters could occur during the onset of the rains due to violent storms associated with the season; hence, the call for caution.
Appealing to residents, who reside along water channels, to relocate, he assured that FEMA would continue to sensitise residents on what to do before, during and after the rains, urging them to always use the 112 emergency toll-free number in the event of any disaster.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NiMet, in its 2024 SCP, had predicted a delay of 2024 rains onset in the North Central states of the country.
Specifically in FCT, the onset of rain was predicted to commence in May across the six area councils and to end in November.
