The Lagos State Government has issued a renewed warning about the threat of flash flooding in the state, following the heavy downpour on Thursday, described as the most intense to have occurred in the state in several months.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab on Sunday that the government explained that the situation was worsened by the release of water from the Oyan Dam. This caused the drainage channels to become overwhelmed, preventing proper discharge into the rivers.
Wahab noted that the heavy downpours experienced between Wednesday and Thursday caused water levels in the state’s major rivers to rise, making it difficult for the main drainage systems to release water until river levels recede.
He emphasized that the latest flash flood warning was based on data from the state’s weather monitoring stations, which indicated that Thursday’s rainfall had the highest average and maximum values recorded this year.
Wahab said, “In the past few weeks, the overall conditions observed show there’s been a drastic increase in water levels at our four gauge stations within the state, and we are fully aware that the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority is releasing water from two gates of the Oyan Dam, as announced earlier.”
“A few days ago, at Kara, the water level recorded 2.2m which most likely might hit the threshold any time soon. At Isheri-North GRA, the water level was recorded at 20.015m which is above the flood threshold. This shows that the catchment areas along these axes are already experiencing river flooding.
“At Majidun, in the whole year, the peak water level was recorded on October 14 at 1.466m while the minimum value was at 0.538m. At Falomo, with the incessant rainfall coupled with water releases from OORBDA, both upstream and downstream of Lagos State will experience flooding along the corridors.”
Wahab reiterated that data for the year indicates significantly higher water level readings in October compared to previous months. Both minute-by-minute and hourly measurements for October consistently showed elevated water levels, surpassing those recorded in earlier months and past years.
He also emphasized the importance of safety, urging residents in low-lying areas and along the banks of the Ogun River to prioritize their well-being by relocating to higher ground to avoid preventable loss of lives and property, as more rain is expected in the state this month.
In July, business and commercial activities were paralyzed after a 10-hour downpour affected several parts of Lagos and Ogun states. The resulting floods caused the collapse of a two-storey building in Lagos’ Mushin area, halted vehicular movement, and left thousands of residents stranded. Many pupils were also unable to attend school.
While the Lagos State government reported that the rainfall lasted for nine hours, some areas experienced continuous rainfall from midnight until noon, totaling 12 hours.
