Jacinta Chisom Oguadinma
Lagos State government has called for calmness over the flash flood caused by the torrential rainfall on Wednesday and urged residents to take safety precautions.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, made the call in a press statement signed by Kunle Adeshina, the Director for Public Affairs of the ministry.
He explained that the nine hours of nonstop rainfall experienced since the early hours of Wednesday has resulted in the level rise of the Lagos lagoon.
He also stated that the flash floods in the inundated areas such as Iyana-Oworo linking the Third Mainland and several other areas would recede once the rains abate and the level of the lagoon reduces.
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Addressing this, the commissioner added that the state had deployed officials of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG) to major black spots including Iyana-Oworo which had been cleared of all blockages.
The commissioner went on to state that the State Government on its part has embarked upon a year-long maintenance and cleaning of all its secondary and primary collectors to be able to contain runoffs that may come from heavy rainfalls.
Furthermore, the commissioner stressed the need for residents to be more responsive, especially during this rainy season by noting that Lagos is a coastal city with almost one-third of its landmass underwater.
He added that residents on their part are expected to regularly clean and maintain the drainage channels in front of their tenements and refrain from dumping refuse in the drains for the collective good of everyone.
He urged all those in low-lying areas to as a matter of necessity relocate to higher grounds at this period to safeguard lives and properties and desist from wading through floods with their vehicles as it takes only a foot of flowing water with high tide to sweep away a vehicle irrespective of the number of occupants.
He also advised that the residents of the state should avail themselves of daily weather reports issued by the State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources as it serves as a guide to daily itineraries.
