Flood: Lagos alerts on heavy rainfalls, asks residents to relocate

Lagos State government on Friday sympathized with residents of the state over the recent torrential rainfalls and the resultant dislocations. The state also warned that more of such downpours would come in the coming days. It asked residents in flood-prone areas to relocate to safety.

In a press statement by the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, he expressed his sympathy to those whose properties were damaged and those who were displaced by the flash flood.

He reiterated that residents should be conscious that whenever it rains and the  high water level in the lagoon locks up the collectors thus preventing easy discharge into the lagoon, which ultimately leads to backflow of water into the streets.

According to him, “Anytime it rains for hours, and the lagoon water rises, this often prevent our channels from discharging effectively’’, he reiterated.

The Commissioner advised residents of the state in low- lying areas to always relocate from such areas when rainfall starts especially during the rainy season, saying this has become imperative to avert any loss of life and properties during such heavy downpours.

Bello stated that the pro-active and on-going cleaning and clearing of all drainage channels in the state also facilitated the ease with which the flash flood disappeared into the channels after the Thursday rainfall.  (Saturday Sun)