A flooded street in Ago, Okota area of Isolo

Lagos – The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment on Friday advised residents not to panic over the high intensity of rains.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Fola Adeyemi, the Public Relations Officer in the ministry.

It said that the rains had slowed down the percolation rate of storm water generated and the saturation level of the soil.

The statement said that the advice was being offered by the state Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, due to the heavy rainfall across the state in the last four weeks.

It stated that the state was experiencing peculiarity of a coastal city like Lagos where it was normal to have storm water on the road whenever it rained consistently.

“Lagosians are advised not to panic, but to go about their normal business activities as our canals are regularly cleaned and maintained to contain storm water generated during the rains.

“Residents of the state are also assured that we are intensifying our mid rain cleaning exercise in order to absorb storm water generated during this period.

“Whenever it rains heavily across the state, this naturally leads to a rise in the lagoon and the ocean which automatically locks up all the canals in the state.

“Until the water in the ocean and lagoon recedes; that is when our canals can discharge into theses water bodies.

“The after effect is that it takes a long time before water discharges into the lagoon as well as the time it eliminates all backflows,’’ the statement said.

It, however, said that it was pertinent to explain that water on the road after continuous rainfall could not be flooding.

“It is just flash flood which will definitely disappear in a matter of time because the canals are already functional,’’ Bello was quoted.

The statement advised Lagosians to be prepared for rains of high intensity which would be accompanied by occasional thunderstorm.

“We advise our people not panic, but if possible stay off the roads when they don’t have a very serious cause to do so in order not to be cut in the traffic gridlock,” its said.

Bello urged residents, community development associations and resident associations to relate with drainage maintenance officers and drainage resident engineers in the 57 local governments and council development areas whenever the need arose.

– NAN