Flood Alert: Ogun Residents In Magboro, Akute, Isheri Asked To Move To Safer Areas

The Ogun State Government has issued a fresh warning to residents living in flood-prone areas of the state, urging them to relocate to safer locations over the looming overflow of the Ogun River expected between October 20 and November 3.

In a statement released by the State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, the government said the alert became necessary following the anticipated increase in water levels caused by the controlled release of water from the Oyan Dam.

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The release, he said, was prompted by heavy rainfall from the northern part of the country, which has increased the water inflow into the dam.

Oresanya listed the affected areas to include Akute, Alagbole, Isheri, Magboro, Makogi, Orimerunmu, Iro, Kajola, and parts of Abeokuta such as Lafenwa, Enugada, Adedotun, Iberekodo, Akin-Olugbade, and Ago-Odo.

He advised residents to stay away from riverbanks and lowlands, warning that the overflow could submerge properties and endanger lives.

According to him, “Residents in these areas should move to higher grounds or elevate their stay during this period. The government has continued dredging tributaries of the Ogun River to reduce the impact of the overflow, in collaboration with the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority which ensures controlled water release from Oyan Dam.”

He noted that while over 17,000 million litres of water per day were released from the dam at this period last year, the figure has been reduced to 12,000 million litres this year, reflecting the government’s commitment to flood control.

Oresanya however urged residents not to panic, assuring that the water level would subside in about ten days. He also appealed to fish farmers within the affected zones to harvest their produce early to prevent losses.

The Commissioner reiterated that the state’s position as a coastal gateway to the lagoon makes it more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, hence the need for residents to heed the warning for their safety.