20th February, 2024
By Fabian Ekeruche
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said a total of 151 houses were affected by the early morning flood on Tuesday in Command and Ipaja communities in Lagos State.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Lagos Territorial Coordinator of NEMA who said this in a statement added that preliminary assessment in some communities affected by the rainfall showed that residents were evacuated from 23 houses at Oke Ishagun.
He added that 35 houses were also affected at Isale Aboru, 29 houses at Ikola Community and 15 houses at Olubodun Majiyagbe-Ajayi.
Also affected were 12 houses at Makinde Street, 16 houses at Olokowo Street, 21 houses at Adeola Street, among others.
Farinloye said NEMA was working with appropriate state MDAs to ameliorate the effect of the flood on residents.
He added that Lagos State had promised to make the state safer for residents.
Farinloye said Tuesday’s excessive rainfall and downpour earlier on Sunday were strong signals of what to expect with the outset of 2024 rainfall.
He said it was important to imbibe disaster risk reduction strategies.
“We must begin to adhere to safety measures against flood disasters.
“Thanks be to God that no live was lost and no one injured,” Farinloye said.
Meanwhile, Farinloye said the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, appealed to Nigerians to start clearing their drainages and desilt them.
Ahmed urged Community Development Associations (CDAs) to be alive to their responsibility by coordinating the activities of neighbourhoods toward safer environments.
He appealed to Local Government authorities to sanction corporate organisations blocking drainages around their offices.
He added that residents dumping refuse in drainages should be prosecuted for blockage of drainages, dumping of refuse in drainages as envisaged in environmental laws to save the society.
The director-general expressed his support to the Lagos State government for its bold decision after the 2023 rainy season when it pulled down structures obstructing drainages across the state.
He urged other state governments to emulate Lagos State by taking bold steps toward making the environment safer. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)