NEMA: Seven killed in Lagos flood

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says seven persons died in the flood that occurred in Lagos over the past weekend.

Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA zonal coordinator, south-west, announced the development in a statement on Wednesday.

There was heavy flooding in parts of Lagos over the weekend, which resulted in several houses being submerged, while persons and vehicles were swept away.

Speaking on the development, Farinloye said the deceased included three members of the same family.

“The post-emergency phase assessment after the unprecedented rainfall of Friday, 8th July, and Saturday, 9th July, 2022, has revealed that about seven people – three children of same parents and four adults – died,” the statement reads.

“About eight lives were also saved during the period, as a result of the flooding that was witnessed during the two-day continuous rainfall.”

Farinloye added that the three siblings who died were residing at an uncompleted building belonging to Mercy of Christ Apostolic Church in Alimosho LGA.

He identified the siblings as 18-year-old Michael, 17-year-old Elizabeth, and 14-year-old Timi.

Farinloye added that they were swept away while trying to relocate from their room to the main church structure.

He said the youngest, who was said to be asthmatic, slipped while trying to climb a plank linking their room to the church building, adding that the remaining two siblings were carried away by the flood while trying to rescue Timi.

According to the statement, officials of NEMA paid a condolence visit to the families of the deceased, and also met with the representatives of the affected communities.

He listed the affected communities as Oke Isagun, Agbado Oke, Oko LCDA — all in Alimosho LGA.

“The bereaved parents were said to be somewhere, but the NEMA team had a brief meeting with the community leaders on the way forward,” he said.

“An appeal was made to them that for the rest of the year, the community must embark on awareness and sensitisation on safe actions, to avoid the situation that they experienced during the period.

“The community leaders also informed NEMA that in the same community, four siblings were also swept away on the same day, but that the community members rallied round and rescued all of them.”

According to him, members of the community development association told NEMA that rainwater from Meiran, Abbatoir, Alagbado, Agege and toll gate areas ran through their community.

Meanwhile, on the flood at Oyatoki in Orile Agege, he said two people died, while four others were rescued.