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Flood: Lagos alerts residents within Ogun River banks

By Bertram Nwannekanma
06 October 2022   |   4:00 am
Lagos State government, yesterday, warned residents, especially those residing on the bank of Ogun River to protect themselves because of expected high intensity of flooding occasioned by heavy rainfall and release of water from Oyan dam.

Lagos State government, yesterday, warned residents, especially those residing on the bank of Ogun River to protect themselves because of expected high intensity of flooding occasioned by heavy rainfall and release of water from Oyan dam.

State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, in a statement, said October is the peak period that may bring about flooding of the areas that are contiguous to Ogun River.

He stressed that going by the projection of the Seasonal Rainfall Pattern released early in the year by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMet), the peak of the resurgent rainfall for the year will be in October.

Bello said the situation may also be worsened by the release of water from Oyan Dam by Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority, which has increased the level of water of the lagoon.

He added that all identified areas, like Ketu, Alapere, Agric, Owode onirin, Ajegunle, Alagbole, Kara, Isheri olowora, Araromi Otun orisha community, Agiliti, Maidan, Mile 12, Odo ogun, Owode elede, Agboyi 1, Agboyi II, Agboyi III must be alert to relocate upland at any time.

He explained that the state is also working in concert with the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority to ensure that water releases from the dam have minimal negative impact on residents.

Bello stated that in the light of these, Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority informed that it has so far released approximately 670.7 million cubic meters (mcm) volume of water from January 2022 till date.

He added that the water release projection from the Ogun-Oshun River Basin relying on the early year projection of NIMet and Nigerian Hydrological Services (NIHSA), projects that it intends to maximise the created space in the reservoir and released at a controlled and average rate of 5-6 million cubic meter per day to allow other major and uncontrolled tributaries to River Ogun to discharge into the sea.

“While for the months of November and December, the impounded water by the Ogun Oshun River Basin will be released gradually at an average rate of 2-4 million cubic meters per day for November and December before the closure of the radial gates for Year 2022.”

“However, the advice is being given to avoid human casualty that may accompany heavy flooding that is projected around the Ogun River area around this time,” he noted.

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