The Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, has said declaring a state of emergency over the disastrous flooding across the country was not yet necessary.

The Minister noted that a state of emergency can only be declared when emergency agencies are overwhelmed and the current situation was out of control.

The Minister said the main cause of the flooding was unprecedented rainfall adding that the rainfall in the North-East had been four times above the normal average.

Adamu noted that the government has an early warning system communicated through the Annual Flood Outlook but added that the report could not have predicted this year’s intensity.

At least 600 persons have died and millions displaced due to flooding related disasters this year with many parts of the country still submerged under water.