LASG urges calm as flood increases following heavy rainfall

Lagos State Government has called for calm from all residents following rainfall in the state for over 12 hours, saying the present administration has put in place resilient infrastructure to combat subsequent flash flooding.

Kunle Adeshina, the Director (Public Affairs), MOE&WR said in a statement that the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, had informed residents that a new weather advisory from the Nigerian Metrological Agency on Monday had warned of heavy rainfall and thunderstorm for the next three days.

Wahab stated that it is not impossible that some parts of the state may experience flash flooding because of the inability of the major collectors to contain the run-off resulting from the heavy rainfalls.

He asked residents not to panic, explaining that the peculiar nature of Lagos as a coastal city and climate change makes it susceptible to vagaries of flash flooding.

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

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

According to him all areas that sharing boundaries with rivers and lagoons in Lagos are also at risk of experiencing flash floods which may come with high currents.

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

The Commissioner added, “Motorists and pedestrians are advised not to wade through floods as there is the tendency that vehicles may be submerged and people swept away with such heavy floods.

“Residents should not to engage in disposing their refuse into the drains as the rains fall; there are consequences for such acts and the refuse will end up blocking the drains and causing flash floods.”

Wahab added that 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.”

He warned that whenever more than usual rain falls as Lagos has witnessed in the last 12 hours plus, all concerted efforts are required to checkmate its effects.”