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There has been a significant increase in the relocation of residents as flood water continues to ravage Isheri, Arepo, Lafenwa, Warewa, and other adjoining communities along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.
The PUNCH learnt that the flood, occasioned by the release of water from the Oyan Dam by the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Authority, has affected both residents and business owners.
A resident, Ayodeji Alao, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday, described the situation as overwhelming, adding that water was almost everywhere in the flood-prone areas.
He said, “It is a tough situation actually and it is overwhelming.
“There is a lot of water everywhere now and some of us still left here are just managing to cope.
“Many people have left in the last two days, including adults and young children. People that have to go to work because you can’t drive through the road now. Any kind of car at all, you can’t. It is a problem.”
Another resident who does not want his name in print said those in the lowland areas were the worst hit.
“While the water had spread beyond what we expected, some residents in the lowland are the worst hit as we speak,” the residents said.
Our correspondent also gathered that some residents were relocating to avoid emergencies that could lead to casualties.
“Our people who have old people with them have decided to move them away from home so that in case of emergency, it will not result in casualty,” another resident disclosed.
While giving an update on the current situation at Isheri Riverview Estate, the chairman, Abayomi Akinde, said most of the estates in the estates are flooded.
Akinde added that the situation was gradually turning into a similar crisis experienced in the communities last year.
He said, “Most of the estates in Isheri Riverview have been affected by the flood. These include Discovery Estate, Airport Estate, Lekki Gardens, and Queens Garden, which is the hardest hit due to their closeness to the water. We are close to experiencing what happened last year.”
The PUNCH reported that the residents started to witness a gradual increase in the current of the Ogun River on Saturday, October 12.
The water thereafter overflowed, spreading across areas some metres away from the river bank.
Our correspondent who observed this on Tuesday, October 15, also discovered that the areas around the Long Bridge had been flooded.
The Lagos State government on Thursday alerted residents and property owners at the Ogun River banks to prepare to relocate to higher ground.
The warning came as the authorities of Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority commenced staggered release of water from Oyan Dam.
The government also said it was collaborating with Ogun authorities to monitor the situation.
Barely a year ago, a water surge induced by the release of excess water from the Oyan Dam sent some residents, traders, and other business ventures on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway packing.
Governor Dapo Abiodun inspected the flooded community and said his administration was working with the Federal Government to treat the situation as an emergency.
Addressing residents of the Riverview Estate, Abiodun said he had requested an area survey of the estate to identify critical areas that needed immediate intervention.
He also assured the public that the intervention would come through the construction of an elevated road with adequate drainage to mitigate their suffering.
