Flooding: Lagos warns residents to be alert and ready to relocate

The Lagos government has alerted residents in some parts of the state to be ready to relocate as a result of flooding.

Tunji Bello, commissioner for the environment, said the state government is monitoring the Ogun River which flows directly into the Lagos lagoon.

He said the state may be susceptible to the dangers of flooding due to the periodic release of rainwater from the Oyun dam. 

“Following renewed fears of residents about the ravages of massive flooding nationwide, Lagos State convened a meeting of all critical stakeholders to evaluate the state’s preparedness for any eventuality, with a resolution that while Lagos is not totally immune to flooding, the state will continue to effectively manage its situation,” the statement reads.

The commissioner was quoted as saying “the enforcement impact must be felt by recalcitrant people and institutions who have defied the government and built structures on drainage alignments, flood plains and low-lying areas now more than ever before”.

He added that despite the fact that Lagos is a coastal city, what it experiences after each bout of heavy rainfall is flash flooding which historically reduces hours later.

The commissioner said residents of areas like Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode Onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri Olowora, Araromi Otun Orisha Community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo Ogun, Owode Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Agboyi III — “which are banks to the Ogun River are again being alerted to be ready and alert to relocate at any given time”.

He said the Lagos lagoon is the convergence point of all water from the Ogun River, Ona Ibu River, Osun River, and Sasha River.

Bello added that the state will embark on massive dredging and cleaning of all primary and secondary collectors across the state.