By FABIAN EKERUCHE

Lagos State Government has alerted residents of the state especially those residing on the banks of Ogun River of high intensity of flooding occasioned by heavy rainfall and release of water.

A statement signed by the Lagos state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, on Wednesday advised residents to prepare to protect themselves.

According to Bello, October is the peak period that may bring flooding of the areas that are contiguous to the Ogun River.

He said that going by the projection of the Seasonal Rainfall Pattern released early in the year by the Nigerian Metrological Services (NIMET) the peak of the resurgent rainfall for the year will be in October.

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

He added that all the identified areas including 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 at alert to relocate upland at any time.

He said that the state was also working in conjunction with the Ogun Oshun River Basin Development Authority to ensure that water releases from the dam had minimal negative impact on the residents.

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

“The water release projection from the Ogun Oshun River Basin, relying on the early year projection of NIMET and Nigerian Hydrological Services NIHSA, projected that it intendsto maximise the created space in the reservoir.

“And release at a controlled and average rate of five – six 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 two – four million cubic meters per day for November and December before the closure of the radial gates for Year 2022,” Bello said.

The commissioner, however, said that the advice was given to avoid human casualty that might accompany heavy flooding projected around the Ogun River area around this time. (NAN)

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