By LAIDE RAHEEM, Abeokuta

As the wet season peaks, Ogun State has been listed as one of the states that will experience flash floods between July 8 and 15.

The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Environment, Ola Oresanya, who gave the indication in Abeokuta on Tuesday at a press conference at the Olusegun Osoba Media Centre, Oke Mosan, said the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) meteorological report had predicted that Ogun would experience flooding this year.

Oresanya, who recalled the devastating impact flood had on the state in 2020, called on residents to prepare for flash floods around the state next month.

He specifically advised residents of flood-prone and wetland areas to temporarily make provisions for a safe environment in order to avoid the severe impact of the natural event.

Oresanya further urged residents in some areas in Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi-Owode, Ijebu-Ode, Ifo, Odeda, Ado-Odo/Ota, Sagamu, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside Local Government Areas, to vacate the riverbanks and move upland.

He also advised farmers cultivating around the wetlands and along the riverbanks to complete their harvesting before the stated time to avert the loss of their livestock and crops to flooding.

According to him, a high-intensity rainfall is also being expected in September, which will result in a fluvial flood due to soil saturation and likely release of water from the Oyan Dam, which he noted would compound the rise in water level.

The Special Adviser urged motorists and pedestrians in the state to be cautious on the road to avoid accidents, as the road will witness a high volume of stormwater.

He disclosed that adequate measures such as clearing of waterways to allow free flow of rivers and streams, desilting of drainage channels across the state, had been taken by the state government to mitigate potential risks.

Oresanya further hinted that the Ogun State Ministry of Environment has constituted a Flood Emergency Management Unit, headed by the Director, Flood and Erosion Control of the ministry, who according to him, can be contacted via 08036401944 and 09010480056, in case of an emergency.

‘Residents of the state are also advised to ensure the cleanliness of the drainage channels within their domain and strictly desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the drainages as well as watercourses, before and during the occurrence of rainfall as this is one of the major factors responsible for urban flooding in our environment,’ the Special Adviser submitted. (Daily Sun)

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