Flooding in Lagos: Message from the Commissioner for Environment | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

LI_Leaderboard_4

LI_Leaderboard_1

LI_Leaderboard_2

LI_Leaderboard_3

Sunday 10 July 2011

Flooding in Lagos: Message from the Commissioner for Environment

 
 
The kind of rain we witnessed in Lagos today eh...my goodness! So many parts of Lagos flooded. So many people won't be able to sleep in their homes tonight. The above pics were taken by individuals in different parts of Lagos State to show exactly what happened today.

Meanwhile, here's a message from the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, concerning the downpour today.
Dear Lagosians, please bear with us. Today's downpour has been heavier than normal as the state government had earlier warned. It has been raining since 5am in many areas and it hasn't stopped. The water level has risen incredibly so that the channels that are meant to discharge the water from the roads and drainages are completely locked because of the high tide and because both the Atlantic Ocean and the Lagoon that receive water from our channels have risen more than usual. Please be calm and do not panic. Once the rains subside, the water on the roads would gradually disappear. Our men are on the field working to manage this situation. Please endeavour to remain indoors as much as possible until the rain stops. Thank you for your understanding.

31 comments:

Terrific said...

This is the best time to use the broom to sweep the flood. After all, Umbrella ws relegated during the polls...

Anonymous said...

Is the commissioner even serious in suggesting people should remain in flooded homes instead of working out how to evacuate citizens who have no recourse, from affected homes to emergency relief centers pronto.
Else, we will be dealing with a whole host of consequential disasters in short order.

Anonymous said...

I know that the appropriate government agencies in urban planning, waste management,ministry of works etc have failed....

...BUT lets not forget individual responsibility. Dumping trash in the wrong place, throwing pure-water selophane into gutters, refusing to clear your gutters on sanitation day... Individual responsibility to keep drainage clear is also a factor.

- Mr 7

Anonymous said...

Monday morning is going to be very interesting.

Anonymous said...

This is dangerous and unhealthy. tow uninformed hhe commisioner is showing how unfamiliar he is with this type up situation.

That wate is toxic, carring deseases particularly mold which will kill you in several different ways.

I have had a personal flood and know first hand just how devatating this is.

My heart goes out to this people. God be with you.

Remmember Katrina, it has to be handled better than that oh......

Stay strong
Stay stron

Anonymous said...

Na wa o! The perils of living in a coastal state. This is just terrible. It going to take weeks before some people can live in their homes again after the water subsides. Just think about mould in the home and what have you after this day. Lord help!

Stay dry Linda

Iyaeto said...

Wonder what would happen to all the millions spent on beautifying Lagos. Shio it's working indeed.oti bane tiptipe!!!

Anonymous said...

Hmm na wa oo!

I miss 9ja sha. I reminise on the times we'll spend outside playing in the rain as kids.. Good ole days ;)

Wow!!! said...

So if they knew in advance that the rains would be heavier than normal this year, why didn't they do something about the drains BEFORE the rainy season started?!! Doesn't it make more sense to prevent than to correct?!

Anonymous said...

This is not good news. Some cars are goners.

damie said...

Yesterday's rain was gangster. I have never seen it rain so heavily for the entire day. No one should blame Fashola o, nothing could be done about the floods. Even the best drainage systems in the world would succumb to Mother Nature.

da king said...

sad thing is the rains have started pouring again.... its a 5 day forecast...

wivesroundtable said...

Was the rain fashola's fault? Are the blocked drainages fashola's fault? Is the high tide of the atlantic fashola's fault?One man can only do so much and i think he is trying. he is even talking about the predicament meaning he is seeing it some of his counterparts will just pretend like nothing is happening. What he ought to do, though, is help out those families that the flood really really got to.THAT is what we should badger him about. IMHO

Anonymous said...

Lagos state refused 2 vote 4 umblerra,so dey shld stop complaining,rather use their broom, sweep d floodº°˚˚˚°ºнaĦaнaº°˚˚˚°º.eko baje ti - my friends status on fbook

Anonymous said...

someone even wrote this on fbook: bringing the beach to your doorstep is the motto of the rain.

Anonymous said...

Nigerians will neva stop being been sentimental. why wont u blame a gov dat knew and was warned disaster was coming and didnt do anything abt it...

Ch5335ng said...

If a tsunami approaches, it will be doom! This is a wake up call to do something now...

Public holiday today? True or false?

Big Ben said...

What's Fashola got to do with it? Somethings like the rain can't just be avoided or wished away; however, we could all have managed to reduce the aftermath with proper sanition habits!

Douglas said...

Still cannot believe how I managed to navigate thru Ikeja all the way down to S/lere...God dey!
its just amazing that we aren't seeing any form of response from emergency services ~ or do we not have any in Lagos!?
No agency or group is even trying to do simple basic tasks as putting up indicators on the roads to show motorists where and where not to tread in the flooded areas...its almost like driving blindfold....really appalling!

passerby said...

MY CAR'S SPOILT COS OF THIS I THINK THE END IS NEAR

Anonymous said...

Kai!! for once i am supporting the govt.
considering the coastal nature of lagos, there is little that can be done that has not been done by the govt.
you can't cheat nature.half of lagos should not be habited and houses built on them.all this sand filling is coming back to bite both the rich and the poor.
on the issue of drainages,the rich build on top of them and the existing gutters are littered by both the rich and the poor.
Lagosians are the dirtiest set of people in Nigeria and there is little Fashola can do about that.
One day this our filth will swallow us.
I am a lagosian and it is truly sad.

Anonymous said...

do they have evacuation and relief centers? What is red cross doing?

This is an opportunity to review the drainage system and get it right if anything needs modifying.

A lot of civics training about keeping the environment clean.

Mr commissioner should hit the roads etc. Lots of issues, I feel their pain......God be with u all.

Stay dry Linda.

Bee said...

And what is the cost of land and property on the island again??????

This is grounds for a state of emergency and this stupid man is telling people to wait it out.

He should keep his mouth shut in shame if he cannot tell us his action plan to correct this for now and prevent it in the future. Only in naija where someone fails horribly at their govt jobs and still remain in office with no shame.

Anonymous said...

this is the only time when i thank God for the staff bus instead of having my own car in lagos.

Nkili said...

The main problem with Lagos state is a lack of proper waste disposal and drainage system, what with grabage being dumped in water sources,gutters-and dont even get me started with the terrible gully ridden roads. I'm not saying it's Fashola's fault, but something needs to be done! There aill alwasy be natural disaters but proper infracstructure will go a long way in reducing the carnage

Anonymous said...

Those blaming Fashola are hypocrites, is he the one that made the sea levels to rise, or did he build houses on the pathways for the water and more importantly He's not God. He cannot control the rain, the govt did all they could to prepare for this.

Ade_Cool said...

I beg free Fashola mehn..did he tell u to build houses on so called reclaimed land for the sea..or building houses on Canals..not clear drainage..it's always been this way..just got a few more metres..
and they thinking of building a Mega City far into the Sea..mainland sef dem no fit manage..they want build City on the sea..good luck with all that..for that particular plan..Fashola scored badly..and unnecceasy ambitious..

Anonymous said...

awon ode! No planning, no dams..
Nothing! Its he poor people I feel sorry for:(

Ch5335ng said...

Ade Cool re-they want build City on the sea; are you referring to Eko Atlantic City? It's for BAT.

Or do you mean, the Lekki Free Zone? It's already in a built up area in Epetedo! Well most of it except the Port. Still backed by BAT.

Anya A said...

".....high tide and because both the Atlantic Ocean and the Lagoon that receive water from our channels have risen more than usual." That to me is a useless and nonsensical statement. NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT NEED TO BUILD A SOLID DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND ENFORCE LAWS ABOUT DUMPING RUFUSE ON GUTTERS AND STUFF...they need to have a dumping ground for rufuse for each city/state in NIGERIA. THEY HAVE THE PLOT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. GOSH, NIGERIANS HAVE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. was thinking of moving back to nigeria but this flood has totally changed my mind...(straight face)

tabahiko said...

I can think of you, because Japan had suffered by TUNAMI.
I pray.


I performed dance”AKB48” at wedding party.
AKB48 is very famous idol in Asia.
I succeed to please guests.
AKB48 has something attractive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5McGB552Dc
Thank you.

Recent Posts