EXPERT OPINION ON THE LAGOS FLOOD

The recent flooding in Lagos was due to heavy rain and high population.

“So, with more people and buildings, you have more artificial surfaces than natural surfaces — all the construction, roads, and buildings. The natural surfaces, like the soil and vegetated area; when it rains, infiltration can take place. But when you have artificial surfaces, then you have more of run-off. Also, in many parts of Lagos, the drainage capacity is low; in some cases, the drains were constructed many years ago and now you have more rainfall.

“We’ve done some analysis and statistically, we’re having heavier rainfall. So, sometimes, the capacity of the drainage is not enough to carry away the storm water. A lot of drainage channels are blocked or you have people depositing water sachets, tyres and all kinds of things. That also reduces the drainage capacity. Once the storm water goes into the drainage channels, it overflows.

“On the island, we have the coast and that means the elevation is lower. With that, you also have high water tables and lower coastal areas; the underground water is higher, so once there is more rainfall, the infiltration capacity cannot be as high as the mainland area. In the coastal area, there is also a tendency for graduation: the slope goes down towards the sea, so all the water will tend to flow towards the coastal area, that is, the island.  So, we have more water around that area.”

Adelakun called on the Lagos State Government to encourage people not to throw solid waste into the drainage channels.

“When people are building, they should make allowance for natural areas also. Another reason why we have flooding is that, because these are wetlands, a lot of land reclamation, especially in terms of sand filling, is taking place. Wetlands are buffers for floods. So, when you start filling swampy areas to make way for buildings, you’re also reducing the capacity of the natural environment to serve as buffers for flood. That should also be discouraged” she added.

Another expert, Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Lagos, Prof. Adetoye Faniran, said,  “This is what happens almost annually this time of the year. The rainy season is very important. Also, the density of the rainfall is very important. The sea-level-rise phenomenon because of climate change is another factor. But perhaps the most important factor is the low topography, where the water settles because the water has passed its level.

“The most important factors are heavy rainfall, sanitation and drainage. But for Lagos, especially the place where the flooding is, there is not much we can do because it’s near sea level.”

Thank you.

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