The Lagos State Government has said flash flooding remains an unavoidable reality due to the state’s coastal location, urging residents to stop indiscriminate waste disposal that blocks drainage channels and worsens flooding.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said while flash floods cannot be entirely prevented in a coastal city like Lagos, the government is focused on reducing their impact through sustained investment in drainage infrastructure, flood control measures and environmental management.
“Must we always get flooded? I will tell you no. But can we realistically, as a coastal state, avoid flash flooding?
I will tell you no. So, what do we do? There must be a balance. We must mitigate the impact of our realities,” Wahab said.
He explained that Lagos’ coastal geography and the effects of climate change make the state particularly vulnerable to heavy rainfall, rising sea levels and temporary flooding.
According to him, some parts of the state lie below sea level, making stormwater discharge difficult during periods of high tides.
“Once the sea level is up, your stormwater I naturally not discharge. It will hold back for maybe one or two hours.
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That’s why we say to Lagosians: please, don’t panic. This water will recede within one or two hours,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that residents also have a responsibility to reduce flood risks by disposing of waste properly.
He noted that refuse dumped on roads and into drainage channels is often washed into drains during rainfall, obstructing the free flow of stormwater and worsening flooding in many communities.
Wahab said the state must confront the realities of climate change rather than ignore them.
“The elephant in the room is that Lagos is a coastal state, and we’re exposed to the vagaries of climate change; we can’t run away from it,” he added.
He reiterated that the government has continued to invest in resilient infrastructure across the state to improve flood management and minimise the effects of extreme weather.
His comments come after widespread flash flooding affected several parts of Lagos over the past two weeks.
In response, Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the immediate dredging and maintenance of 28 additional primary drainage channels across the state as part of efforts to improve flood control.