Flood warning in Nigeria

AllAfrica.com via This Day (Nigeria): Residents and property owners along the banks and flood plains of Ogun River and all its tributaries within its basin in Lagos State, have been admonished to take more precautionary measures. This is because there is going to be a very high rise in water level around the areas as the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority has commenced emergency release of water from Oyan dam.

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Muiz Banire, who made this known in his office yesterday, said release of water from the dam became imperative, following what the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority described as precautionary measure occasioned by increase in the water level of Oyan dam, after the heavy downpour in the last few weeks.

The River Basin Authority had in a letter addressed to Banire with Ref No OORBDA/S/102/7/1599 dated 19th May, 2009 and signed by its Executive Director (Operations), Engr Jimi Omoliki , said that the release of water from the dam was as a result of increase in rainfall in recent weeks, resulting in increase in the volume of water in the reservoir at Oyan dam.

Consequent upon this development and in conformity with the reservoir operational rule of the dam, the Authority stated that it had become imperative to release water gradually in order to maintain a tolerable capacity level for the safety of the dam, and by extension, safety of life and property downstream…..