The Lagos State Government issued a new warning on Monday to all waterfront residents of upscale Ikoyi, Lekki, and Victoria Island, as well as coastal regions of Epe and Badagry, to be aware of backflow caused by high tide in the Lagos Lagoon.
The current alert was issued because of the high tide of the Lagos Lagoon, according to a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello.
Bello emphasised that the Lagoon’s high tide has made it difficult for storm run-off from the various channels to discharge properly into the lagoon, which may cause stagnation onto the streets and major roadways until the lagoon level drops enough to allow for channel discharge.
He called the popular video of the water level under the Third Mainland Bridge almost to the brim ‘fake news’, claiming that it only captured the Oworonshoki end of the bridge, which is normal because the region is a deck-on pile.
He warned people, particularly those on social media, against sending frantic messages to communities in order to cause excessive concern among the population.
Bello asked the residents of the impacted areas on Lagos Island and other coastal locations to monitor incidental rains on a regular basis, maintain situational awareness at all times, avoid depositing trash in drains, and clean their tertiary drains on a regular basis.
He reiterated the earlier flood advisory issued by the State to all those on the banks of the Ogun River, particularly residents of Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode Onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri Olowora, Araromi, Otun Orisha community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo Ogun, Owode Elede, Agboyi I, and Agboyi II.
The Commissioner emphasised that the State has begun and is continuing massive drainage clearance and new channel construction, in addition to the continuous deployment of the quick response Emergency Flood Abatement Gang to free up manholes and blackspots to ensure the drains’ optimum capacity to contain run-offs.
