Over 150 houses affected by flooding in Lagos communities, says NEMA

Innocent Raphael

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said about 151 houses in the Command and Ipaja communities of Lagos were flooded due to recent rainfall.

NEMA Lagos territorial coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye in a statement, said a preliminary assessment was conducted in some communities affected by the rainfall.

He said 35 houses were affected at Isale Aboru, 29 at Ikola Community and 15 at Olubodun Majiyagbe-Ajayi among others, further disclosing that the assessment showed that residents were evacuated from 23 houses at Oke Ishagun.

While assuring that NEMA was working with the appropriate state ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ameliorate the effect of the flood on residents, he added that it was important to adopt disaster risk reduction strategies.

According to Farinloye, the excessive rainfall in some parts of Lagos earlier on Sunday was a strong signal of what to expect with the outset of 2024 rainfall.

“We must begin to adhere to safety measures against flood disasters. Thanks be to God that no life was lost and no one injured,” he said.

Farinloye also added that Mustapha Ahmed, NEMA director-general (DG), has appealed to Nigerians to clear their drainages and desilt them, as he urged community development associations (CDAs) to be alive to their responsibility by ensuring a safer environment.

He also appealed to local government authorities to sanction corporate organisations blocking drainages around their offices as well as residents flouting environmental laws by dumping refuse in drainages.