By Fatima Muraina

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Weather Experts have alerted Nigerians against the possibility of fire and diseases outbreaks, as a result of the current harsh weather condition.

They counselled that the only way Nigerians could avoid such impending disaster is to develop managerial skills against the devastating effects of the harsh weather condition.

Experts who spoke with The Hope attributed the heat being experience to depletion of the Ozone layer.

The weather experts said even though, it is a normal condition but that it came a little earlier than expected and at the extreme, with high density on heat could have negative effects on humans, animals and crops if not well managed.

They argued that the effect may lead to incessant fire outbreak, outbreak of diseases such as conjunctivitis, dry throat among others.

Speaking on the development are: Prof. Ahmed Balogun, Head of Department, Meteorology and Climatic Science, School of Sciences, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Mr Rufus Adeshina Akeju, Programme Manager of the Ondo state Agroclimatology department of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Dr Jibayo Oyebade, Director of Technical and Research Farm, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.

They described the period as a transition from wet to dry season,saying that it might have adverse effects on poultry farmers as it could lead to casualties in birds, if enough water is not provided.

The Director of Technical and Research Farm, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Dr Jibayo Oyebade, said there is possibility of people having conjunctivitis, dry throat, while plants will die, noting that the weather is not too harsh for now.

He urged people to wait till January to see what would happen.

On the effect of the weather on farm produce next year, Oyebade assured that it will not have negative effect if properly managed, because there was enough rainfall earlier in the year.

“Dehydration will be too much. Broilers will experience heat stroke and dying off while eggs production will definitely go down. ”

The Programme Manager of the Ondo State Agroclimatology Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Rufus Adeshina Akeju, said the situation is expected, but efforts must be made more on practising irrigation as it is a period that cannot be controlled.

He urged farmers to grow more of crops that do not need much water like tomatoes, adding that they should do mulching to the surface of the land and do fire tracing of the farm to avoid fire outbreak in their farms.

He advised people to take a lot of water and fluid to prevent dehydration, stressing that they should also avoid moving around in the scorching sun.

According to Akeju, the extreme heat is abnormal because it came earlier than expected and to the extreme point at the Ozone layer which he said is terribly affecting the weather condition.

” As at now, we are not supposed to feel any heat, at least, there was rain last week but because the ozone layer is seriously depleted, it is bringing everything to the extreme,” he explained.

Prof. Ahmed Balogun described the weather situation as a transition from wet to dry season, saying it should be expected by everybody.

He advised that people should inculcate the habit of drinking more water and stay in cool environment to avoid being dehydrated.

“There is nothing abnormal about it. It is normal. We still have a lot of humidity in the air and then we have high temperature.

“People should be taking more water and stay within cool environment.”

According to him, people should practise dry season farming which requires irrigation because rain is gone.

“Everywhere is dry and there will be fire risks now. People should be very careful because fire can break out anytime. People should switch off all electrical apparatus before leaving home,” he added.