The Lagos State Government on Sunday issued a fresh flood notice following the publication of a revised 2023 Water Releases Forecast for Flood Control by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority, leading some residents of the state to get ready for flooding in September.
In a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Lekan Shodeinde, the affected catchment areas include Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, Kara, Isheri-Olowora, Agiliti, Owode-Onirin, Owode-Elede, Agboyi I, Agboyi II, Ajegunle, Itowolo, Majidun, Ibeshe, Baiyeku and Lekki-Ajah axis.
Shodeinde stated that the safety of residents’ lives and property is the state government’s top priority. She urged residents and property owners in the listed areas to be prepared to leave their homes when the water level rises and flood warning signs appear, just as it is advised for all residents throughout the state.
He noted that, in comparison, the total amount of rainfall recorded from January to August of the years 2021 (713.4mm) and 2022 (848.1mm) is lower than the total rainfall recorded from January to August of the year 2023 (1,128.6mm).
READ ALSO: That Lagos State May Not Go Up In flames…
According to the permanent secretary, a total of 968.6 mm of rainfall was recorded for the entire year of 2021, along with 1,140 mm for the entire year of 2022, and 1,128.6 mm for the first eight months of 2023. This means that when the remaining four months of the year are taken into account, a very high intensity of rainfall will be recorded for the entire year.
He went on to say that one of the contributing elements to the likelihood of the Ogun River’s downstream flow overflowing is that all of its tributaries’ water levels, including the Oyan Dam, are rising.
He emphasised that the same holds true for all the channels and tributaries that empty into the lagoon since they could experience tidal lock and flow back due to the high water levels that prevent discharges and result in flash floods.
“When some of the other figures released by the Ogun-Osun 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 said.
