Lagos orders evacuation of residents in flood-prone communities

The Lagos State Government has directed residents living in low-lying and flood-prone communities to relocate to higher ground following a fresh seven-day flood alert issued by the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency.

This, the government said, was necessary to prevent loss of lives and property.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina.

The state government said the alert, issued over the weekend, affects Lagos and 14 other states, with vulnerable areas in Lagos including Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Oke-Ira Nla in Ajah, Kirikiri, Ilaje Waterfront Jetty and Jetty Terminal B.

Wahab said the government was treating the NiHSA flood advisory with the utmost seriousness and had intensified monitoring across the identified locations and in other riverine, low-lying, and flood-prone communities.

He urged residents not to wait until floodwaters rise before taking action, stressing that early preparation and temporary relocation could prevent loss of lives and property.

“We are urging Lagosians, particularly those living in flood-prone and low-lying areas, not to take this warning lightly. When the signs point to danger, the safest decision is to move early. No property is worth risking a life,” Wahab stated.

The commissioner advised residents in flood-prone communities to move to higher ground and remain there until the peak of the resurgent rainy season had passed.

He urged communities along the Ogun River and other major waterways to exercise heightened caution, noting that rainfall intensity and rising water levels in connected river systems could affect downstream communities in Lagos.
Wahab listed Isheri North, Kara, Itowolo, Ajegunle, Majidun, Ogolonto, parts of Agboyi, and other settlements downstream of Isheri Olofin among communities that should remain on high alert between September 19 and 25.

He also advised residents living near rivers, lagoons, wetlands, drainage channels, and other water bodies to monitor official flood forecasts and be prepared to relocate temporarily when flooding becomes imminent.

According to the commissioner, the NiHSA report warned that rising river levels could cause flooding in vulnerable communities and affect critical facilities, including schools, healthcare centres, markets, farms, and places of worship.

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Wahab called on affected local governments, emergency management agencies, community leaders, and residents to activate early-warning and response mechanisms.

He urged them to move people, livestock, and valuable possessions to safer locations where necessary.

The commissioner said the state government would continue to monitor river levels, rainfall patterns, and other hydrological developments in collaboration with relevant federal agencies.

He added that routine cleaning, maintenance, and monitoring of drainage infrastructure across the state would also be sustained.

Wahab appealed to residents to support the government’s flood mitigation efforts by refraining from dumping refuse in drains, canals, and waterways, noting that blocked drainage channels could worsen flooding and delay the recession of floodwaters.

He also cautioned residents against walking or driving through flooded roads, bridges, and fast-moving water, urging those in vulnerable areas to make arrangements for temporary relocation whenever official warnings indicated an imminent threat.

The commissioner stressed that the protection of lives and property remained the government’s foremost priority and urged residents to treat flood forecasts as critical safety information requiring immediate action.

He assured Lagos residents that the government would continue to deploy measures to reduce flood risks and provide timely updates as the situation evolved.

PUNCH Online reported on Monday that more than 8,000 communities and 4,500 schools across 15 states are at risk of flooding between September 19 and 25, according to the latest National Flood Advisory issued by the NHSA.

The agency had warned that rising river levels could trigger flooding in vulnerable communities, exposing schools, healthcare facilities, markets, religious buildings and farmlands to possible inundation.

The agency had listed states including Imo, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Benue, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Enugu, Bayelsa, Kogi, Abia, Taraba, Rivers and Lagos as most likely to be affected.