The Lagos State Government has issued a renewed warning to residents of coastal areas, urging heightened caution over the risk of backflow flooding caused by high tide in the Lagos Lagoon.
EpeInsights that the alert, issued by the State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, highlights that the Epe axis, along with parts of Ikoyi, Lekki, Victoria Island, and Badagry, could be affected as the rising lagoon level hampers effective discharge of stormwater from drainage channels.
According to Bello, the current high tide is preventing storm run-off from flowing into the lagoon, potentially leading to temporary flooding of streets and major roads in Epe and surrounding communities until water levels recede.
He reassured residents that a trending video suggesting the Lagos Lagoon beneath the Third Mainland Bridge had overflowed was misleading.
“The video only captures the Oworonshoki end of the bridge, which is a deck-on-pile structure,” he clarified, urging the public to disregard it.
The commissioner urged residents in Epe’s coastal and low-lying areas to stay alert during periods of rainfall, keep an eye on weather forecasts, avoid dumping refuse into drainage systems and regularly clear their tertiary drains to facilitate water flow.
He also reiterated earlier flood warnings to communities along the Ogun River and assured that the state government has intensified its drainage clearing efforts. This includes the construction of new water channels and the ongoing deployment of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang to clear manholes and black spots, especially in flood-prone zones like Epe.
Bello called for community cooperation to mitigate the effects of flooding, particularly in vulnerable areas like Epe, where both natural and manmade factors can contribute to water stagnation during high tide.
