The Lagos State Government on Wednesday alerted residents downstream of the Ogun River of the likelihood of experiencing flood this month and relocating to safe areas.
The affected areas have been identified as Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, Kara, Isheri-Olowora, Agiliti, Owode-Onirin, Owode-Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Ajegunle, Itowolo, Majidun, Ibeshe, Baiyeku, Maidan, Lekki-Ajah, and the Lagos Lagoon boundaries.
“The latest alert which emanated from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources is a follow-up to a public statement issued by the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority on Monday showing rainfall and average water released monthly for the Years 2021, 2022 and 2023 till mid-October and warning of possible inundation by flooding which is already happening,” the statement read.
He said that comparatively for the year 2021, total rainfall was 969mm while for 2022, it was 1,140mm when compared with the first 10 months of this year, rainfall amounted to 1,410.1mm which was a significant rise.
The government explained that the alert followed the incidence of flooding already being experienced in the neighbourhood of Ajegunle, Kara and an additional alert issued by the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority on the operation of Oyan Dam for flood in September and October.
Citing a statistical table released by the River Basin Authority, Adeshina stated that the amount of rainfall recorded from January to October 2023 (1,410.0mm) indicated that most of the rainfall in the area has fallen.
“Likewise, the volume of water released from January to October 15, 2023, is more than the average synthesized Annual Flow volume of 1770Mcm against a Gross Storage of 27+90Mcm,” he said.
The utmost concern of the state government, he noted, is the safety of the lives and properties of residents and this explains the urgent call for relocation by those affected, adding that the safety of lives and properties is the uppermost.