By FABIAN EKERUCHE

Tragedy struck in the Ile-Epo area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos on Saturday as a motorcycle rider was swept into a canal by flood resulting from a morning downpour,

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Territorial Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Farinloye said that the rider, simply called Mr Abe, was swept off after refusing to heed to warnings from his colleagues not to ride during the rain, close to the Ile Epo Bus-stop canals in the area.

He said that the Incident happened around 10.30a.m. and the victim had yet to be recovered as of the time he was speaking.

Meanwhile, the rainfall, which started early in the day and lasted for hours, also led to flood affecting residents in Papa Ashafa and Fashola communities, in Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

Farinloye said that some people displaced were taking refuge in four churches in the area.

“Some vulnerable groups have moved to temporary safe facilities, while the adults are salvaging their water-impacted properties.

“NEMA is assisting the owner of a building where the fence collapsed,” he said.

He said that there was the need to salvage the building by reconstructing the fence to solidify the base, to prevent it from collapsing on a nearby bungalow.

Farinloye said that the Director-General, of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, had directed the immediate release of relief materials to the affected flood victims in Lagos.

“Children wears, women wears, mattresses, antiseptics and other immediate assistance to the impacted population at Orile-Agege Local Government Area to provide immediate succour to about 200 people this afternoon are being loaded currently,” Farinloye said.

He appealed to Lagos residents to take utmost precautions during such heavy rainfall.

Farinloye said that NEMA and other emergency agencies were on assessment exercise at some flash points, and discussed with affected populations, proffering immediate solutions in handling such situations.

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