In response to potential flooding this month, the Lagos State Government has issued a warning to residents residing downstream of the Ogun River.
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The Ministry of Environment, through its spokesperson Kunle Adeshina, highlighted several at-risk regions, including Alagbole, Meiran, Maidan, and others. Urging immediate action, authorities are advising affected communities to consider relocating to safer areas to ensure their well-being and safety.
“The latest alert which emanated from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources is a follow-up to a public statement issued by the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority on Monday showing rainfall and average water released monthly for the Years 2021, 2022 and 2023 till mid-October and warning of possible inundation by flooding which is already happening,” the statement read.
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He mentioned that in comparison to the total rainfall of 969mm in 2021, and 1,140mm in 2022, the cumulative rainfall for the first 10 months of this year had risen significantly to 1,410.1mm.
According to government sources, the warning was prompted by ongoing flooding incidents in Ajegunle and Kara, compounded by an additional advisory from the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority about the operations of the Oyan Dam for the months of September and October.
Referring to a statistical report provided by the River Basin Authority, Adeshina pointed out that the recorded rainfall from January to October 2023 (1,410.0mm) indicated a notable concentration of the year’s rainfall in the area.
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“Likewise, the volume of water released from January to October 15, 2023, is more than the average synthesized Annual Flow volume of 1770Mcm against a Gross Storage of 27+90Mcm,” he said.
He emphasized that the state government’s primary priority is the well-being of residents and the protection of their properties. This underlines the pressing need for affected individuals to consider relocating, as the preservation of lives and assets remains the paramount focus.
