Prepare for more rains, Lagos alerts residents

[Mirror]

•Says flood-prone areas should be vacated The Lagos State Government yesterday warned residents of the state to prepare for more rains in the month of July as the state may begin to experience heavier downpour accompanied with violent storms in the new month.

This, the government said, was part of the signs of the second half of the year and that the alert was based on the warnings of the meteorologists in the country.

Hence, the state government said residents of low line areas and other coast lines like Ajegunle, Owode- Onirin, Owode-Elede, Kuramo Beach, Alpha Beach, Okun-Mapo, Okun Ajah, Mende-Maryland, Ijora- Badia, Iwaya and other flood-prone areas, to be extremely careful, urging them to vacate their residences once they notice a gradual accumulation of rising water.

Motorists were equally warned to avoid over speeding and driving through flooded portions of the roads during the period, just as residents were urged not to go out during very heavy rains.

Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, who gave the warning at the weekend, said the alert was necessary in the wake of the latest metrological reports from NIMET, saying there was the need to sensitise Lagosians as we approach the peak of the rainy season.

Allaying the fears of the residents, Bello said Lagosians are advised not to panic, whenever it rains as they will start to experience accumulated water concentration in some parts of the roads and highways, depending on the intensity of the rains.

He said: "As the intensity of the rains increases in July, Lagosians are assured that the accumulated water will recede in no time. It has been raining since January and this has increased the water level in the soil, thereby making infiltration capacity to be very low across the state.

"This has led to the saturation of the soil, which will henceforth cause delayed in the discharge of rain water into the water bodies."

The commissioner said with the newly constructed and de-silted drainage channels, no major flooding would be experienced, adding that whatever flashfloods recorded during the rains, will gradually be discharged in less than 24 hours.

He further advised those that reside along flood plains, low line areas to consider temporary relocation to avert disaster.

National Mirror

[Folami David]

That should be something Lagosians should already know. I'm very sure the citizens are used to it by now. That is simply the caase...