Lagos State Government Warns Of Heavier Rains And Thunderstorm In The Month Of July

The Lagos State Government has advised residents on safety measures to take during the July rains, which it said would be heavier  and characterised by thunderstorm.

The Commissioner of the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, said in a statement on Sunday that the advice was imperative to ensure that Lagosians were safe as the rainy season approached its peak, following reports from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency

He said, "Rainfall intensity is expected in July but Lagosians are advised not to panic. There is a need for residents to be safety conscious during this period.

"Residents are advised to avoid driving through flooded areas as there might be difficulty in judging its depth.

"Do not drive on high speed and ensure that your vehicles are in good condition. Except only on compulsory occasions, avoid going out during rainy seasons."

Bello said the rains in Lagos were expected to be of high intensity with accompanying wind and thunderstorms in July.

He said, "There will be accumulated water concentration on some part of the roads and highways, depending on the intensity of the rains but the accumulated water will recede in no time.

"Due to the rains since January, the water level of the soil has increased causing low infiltration capacity across the state. This has resulted in the saturation of the soil, causing delayed discharge of rain water into the water bodies."

Bello said Lagos, as a coastal state, was susceptible to flash floods in times of heavy rains but added that the  flood would be effectively discharged into channels that had been cleaned in anticipation of the rains.

He added that the government had intensified its  cleaning and maintenance programme, and would not relent until zero tolerance for flooding was attained in the state.