“Prepare For Severe Floods In September”, NHISA To Lagos Residents

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency NHISA has alerted Lagos residents on severe floods come September,a few months time, asking them to brace their minds and prepare for the worse.

The Director-General, NIHSA, Clement Nze, said this on Sunday 18th July, 2021, while addressing newsmen in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is coming after the heavy downpour on Friday which saw vehicles immersed in heavy bodies of water, and some heavy gridlock.DG Clemenet Eze affirmed that the peak of the rainy season in Lagos often occurred in September, adding that the floods recorded in many parts of Lagos on Friday may be far less than what residents of the commercial city will experience in September.

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Adding that residents of the state should brace for severe floods by taking all necessary measures now to mitigate the devastating impact, Clement Nze also stated that no new holding dam had been constructed across the River Niger in Nigeria and the course of the Ladgo Dam in Cameroon to mitigate the impact of flood arising from the possible opening of the dam.He further noted that once the Oyan Dam in Abeokuta was opened to release water, the floods in the South-West states might worsen, explaining that the Oyan Dam would have to be opened if the water level in it becomes high, adding that its opening to release water would be necessary to prevent it from rupturing. The NIHSA boss also noted that the agency’s flood predictions included highly, moderately and least probable classifications.

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“The peak of the rainy season in Lagos is projected to be in September and has always been in that month. So, what was experienced across the state on Friday might be far less severe than what will happen during the peak of the rain. If the Oyan Dam collapses, the flood situation in that region will be worse. So, it is better to release water from the dam once its water level gets to the point of allowing some of it to flow out”, he explained.He said, “Lagos and surrounding areas were included in our prediction in terms of the flooding that occurred. Also, Lagos is one of the 10 mega cities globally and there are six cities that are sinking and might sink or disappear in 50 years based on meteorology. Lagos is one of them.