LAGOS ISSUES FRESH FLOOD ALERTS TO RESIDENTS OF LEKKI-AJAH, MEIRAN, AJEGUNLE, OTHERS
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Some Lagos residents were advised to get ready for flooding in September after the Lagos State Government issued a fresh flood notice on Sunday.
This came after the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority published an updated forecast for water releases for flood control in 2023.
In a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Lekan Shodeinde, the affected catchment areas include Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, Kara, Isheri-Olowora, Agiliti, Owode-Onirin, Owode-Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Ajegunle, Itowolo, Majidun, Ibeshe, Baiyeku, and Lekki-Ajah axis.
Shodeinde stated that the safety of residents’ lives and property is the state government’s top priority. She urged residents and property owners in the listed areas to be prepared to leave their homes when the water level rises and flood warning signs appear, just as it is advised for all residents throughout the state.
He noted that, in comparison, the total amount of rainfall recorded from January to August of the years 2021 (713.4mm) and 2022 (848.1mm) is lower than the total rainfall recorded from January to August of the year 2023 (1,128.6mm).
The permanent secretary said comparatively, a total of 968.6mm was recorded as amount of rainfall for the 12 months of 2021, just as a total of 1,140 mm was the recorded amount of rainfall during the 12 months of 2022, while in the first 8 months of 2023, a quantum of 1,128.6mm has already been recorded which means when the remaining four months in the year is factored in’, a very high intensity of rainfall would be recorded for the whole year.
“When some of the other figures released by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority is further scrutinized for volume of water spilled, it shows that for the 12 months of 2021, 1,102mcm was spilled, while for the 12 months of 2022, a total of 1,475.6 mcm was spilled, while in the first eight months of this year, a total of 1,393,1mcm has already been spilled by the River Basin Authority pointing in the direction that more water will be released when factored with the remaining four months in 2023,” Shodeinde said.
According to the Permanent Secretary, one of the contributing elements to the likelihood of the Ogun River’s downstream flow flooding is the rising water levels in all tributaries, including the Oyan Dam.
He emphasised that the same holds true for all the channels and tributaries that empty into the lagoon since they could experience tidal lock and flow back due to the high water levels that prevent discharges and result in flash floods.
In addition to the heavy rains that are typically associated with the months of September and December every year along the Ogun River Basin, Shodeinde continued by saying that the alert is now necessary because of other related predictions and warnings from related agencies like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Metrological Services (NIMET), Nigeria Hydrological Services (NIHSA), and others.
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