Again, Flood Wreaks Havoc In Lagos, Ogun Communities

For the second weekend in a row, many residents of some Lagos and Ogun State were trapped in their homes and some others spent hours in traffic as a result of the flood following hours of the downpour on Sunday.

The clouds had darkened since Friday, showing signs of impending rain, but it was on Sunday when the clouds opened its bowels and the rains poured. The showers continued non-stop, affecting people in different parts of the Lagos and adjourning settlement along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
On Friday, Lagos government had alerted residents of Ikoyi, Victoria Island and other parts of the state that flood could last throughout the weekend, owing to the release of water from the Oyan Dam. Following the flood occasioned by the release of water from the dam, which has submerged its headquarters office in Ogun State, the management of Core TV News has announced a temporary shutdown of the station.
In a statement released at the weekend, the Managing Director and founder of the station, Olajide Adediran, said the decision, though a painful one to take, was designed to safeguard the lives of its members of staff and the station’s multi million naira equipment from further damage. He urged the Ogun State government and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the issue of release of water from the Oyan Dam, assuring the general public that the station would bounce back in the next few days once the situation improves.
“The operations of the station have become near impossible over the last 48 hours following the rise in water levels in its discovery gardens estate headquarters within the Isheri/Opic estates just off the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. We plead with our staff members and our teeming viewers to be patient and endure with us, we shall come back on air as soon as the situation is receded.”
The Lagos State government had earlier warned that the state may record more flooding owing to the rise of water sea level. The lagoon is said to be having difficulty discharging water into the ocean causing backflow into the drainage channels. But Environment and Water Resources Commissioner, Tunji Bello, says officials are working on different measures to remove the constriction and blockades to ease free passage for the resultant flooding.
The state government is also in talks with the officials of the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority, which is releasing water to do so gradually. He explained that the rise in sea level has contributed to the current flooding in many parts of Ikoyi, V.I, Dolphin, and Oworonshoki as the lagoon cannot discharge and is causing backflow into drainage outlets.

Residents of Wawa, Mokore, Forthright Garden Estate behind Punch Newspaper, and part of Arepo were also affected by the consequence of the released of water from the Adiyan dam.

Many of the residents could not access their homes, while some have to depend of canoe to cross the huge water that has blocked the road to the various settlements around the long bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Some Churches around the area could not hold services on Sunday due to the invasion of flood on their locations.