Lagos sympathises with residents over flooding

The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, apologised to residents for the challenges experienced as a result of the intensive rainfalls and flooding that the state experienced on Wednesday.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, tendered the apology during a series of interview programmes across different television channels in Lagos, stressing that the state had put in place some resilient infrastructure that could withstand the effects of flash floods.

The flooding in several parts of Lagos caused Lagosians hard times as motorists and pedestrians waded through flooded roads. Other residents at home counted losses of properties and valuables to the flood that swept through their houses.

According to a statement by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Kunle Adeshina, the commissioner also sympathised with a yet-to-be-identified resident who reportedly lost a loved one as well as others who lost properties to the flood.

He explained that Lagos experienced about 10 hours of non-stop rainfall from the early hours of Wednesday, causing flash floods in places like Egbeda, Iyana Oworo, Trade Fair Road, and Iyana Iba, among others, adding that the flash floods receded in about two hours as a result of the mitigation put in place.

“I want you to know that what happened yesterday (Wednesday) was not as a result of not preparing but because nature only took its course,” Wahab said.

He said the sea level was very high while it rained, and the effect was felt around areas such as Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Lekki, all on the peninsular corridor where the stormwater was designed to discharge into the lagoon.

Wahab advised Lagosians in the upland areas like Agege, Alimosho, and Ikeja to be calm, saying the government had built resilient infrastructure that would discharge stormwater into the creeks and lagoons within a few hours after the rain subsided.

He added that some areas like Ogombo, Mobil corridor of Victoria Island that hitherto experienced flash floods did not experience it on Wednesday as a result of improved drainage infrastructure and efforts of the government.

According to him, flash flood happens globally, and what the government can do is to embrace and live with nature.

“Anywhere in the world that experiences long hours of rainfall like we did yesterday (Wednesday) is bound to experience flooding otherwise called ponding elsewhere,” he said.

He said the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang created to intervene in clearing black spots was on the ground from the early hours of 4 am, but the water level was high, and it took a while for the stormwater to discharge into the lagoon and ocean.

Wahab said the ministry had strengthened its drainage enforcement activities in ensuring due diligence concerning all drainage channels and restoring the Right of Ways on all channels while it continued its intense all-year-round clearing and cleaning of major primary and secondary drainage channels.

“I would like to reiterate that Lagos is a coastal state, and there will always be flash floods for a few hours when it rains. We should know that the world has changed, and everyone must ensure various measures to mitigate the adverse effects of global warming and other environmental issues confronting human existence,” he added.

He said residents also need to be more responsive, citing the example of a couple spotted by a whistle-blower discharging their waste inside the drainage while it rained on Wednesday in the Surulere area, saying the house had been sealed and the culprits had been arrested and would be prosecuted according to the law.

He appealed to residents to desist from the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drainages, roads and other unauthorised places and support government efforts by ensuring the regular clearing of drainages in front of their houses for free-flow of water.