FLOOD: Lagos Issues Fresh Warning To Residents Of Alagbole, Meiran, Lekki-Ajah, Others

The Lagos State government, on Sunday, issued a fresh warning to residents of the state, especially those downstream of the Ogun River of the likelihood of experiencing flood from September.

The affected areas include Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, Kara, Isheri-Olowora, Agiliti, Owode-Onirin, Owode-Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Ajegunle, Itowolo, Majidun, Ibeshe, Baiyeku, Maidan and Lekki-Ajah axis.

The warning is coming following the release of an updated 2023 Water Releases Forecast for Flood Control by the Ogun -Osun River Basin Authority effective September and the high rainfall being experienced as predicted.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Engr. Lekan Shodeinde, who gave the warning, urged residents and property owners in the listed areas to be ready to move upland when the water level rises.

Quoting excerpts from the updated 2023 Water Releases Forecast, Shodeinde explained that comparatively the total amount of rainfall recorded from January to August 2023 (1,128.6mm) is higher than that of January to August of the year 2021 (713.4mm) & 2022 (848.1mm).

The Permanent Secretary said comparatively, a total of 968.6mm was recorded as the 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’, very high intensity of rainfall would be recorded for the whole year.

“When some of the other figures released by the Ogun- Oshun 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 reiterated.

Speaking on the release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroun to the Benue River, Shodeinde assured residents of the state that only 11 states, which does not include Lagos, will be affected by the releases from Lagdo and there is obviously no connection between the Lagdo dam releases and operations of Oyan Dam and the water releases Forecast for Flood Control in Lagos and Ogun State.

The warning is coming just over two weeks after the state issued a flood alert to residents of Apapa, Badagry, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Lagos Island and Ojo.