Lagos Allays Residents’ Fears Over Flooding

Many residents of Lagos State, especially those on the Island, were evicted from their homes on Monday by floods caused by torrential rainfall that lasted for over 12 hours.

LEADERSHIP gathered that residents of Jakande in the Lekki area and the Ijede community in Ikorodu had their belongings submerged in floods that ravaged their communities.

But in a swift reaction, the Lagos State government has called for calm from all residents over the adverse effects of the heavy rainfall that lasted over 12 hours, assuring that the state has built resilient infrastructure to combat flash flooding.

In a statement signed by the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, he informed residents that a new weather advisory from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency on Monday warned of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms for the next three days.
He stated that some parts of the state can experience flash flooding because the major collectors cannot contain the run-off from the heavy rainfalls.

He reminded residents not to panic, as Lagos’s peculiar nature as a coastal city and climate change make it prone to flash flooding.

He explained that Lagos is a coastal state, and with heavy rainfalls, the level of water in the lagoon is bound to rise, resulting in a tidal lock that will prevent discharge from all collectors.

Wahab urged all those living in low-lying areas to be on alert because, with the intensity of the rainfall already experienced, many of these areas will encounter flash floods.

According to him, all areas abutting the rivers and lagoons in Lagos are also at risk of experiencing flash floods, which may have high currents.

Given the holiday period that most pupils and students are in now, he called for extra vigilance so they do not go outside to play in the rain or swim in the flash floods.

The Commissioner also reiterated the earlier advisory to motorists and pedestrians not to wade through floods, as heavy floods tend to submerge vehicles and sweep people away.

He warned residents not to dispose of their refuse into the drains as the rains fall, warning that such acts have consequences, and the refuse will block the drains and cause flash floods.

The Commissioner said the state is intensifying the year round cleaning and maintenance of all drainage channels as well as awarding contracts for the concrete lining of new ones to be able to contain run off from rainfalls, warning that whenever more than usual rain falls as Lagos has witnessed in the last 12 hours, concerted efforts are required to checkmate its effects.