The Lagos State Government on Tuesday
said residents of the state should prepare for at least 236 days of
heavy rainfall in 2012, being the total period of rain predicted by
experts.
The state government added that the
intensity of the rainfall would be like that of 2011, recording 1,279mm
of waters with marginal error of 50mm.
The Commissioner for the Environment,
Tunji Bello, at a news briefing said the prediction was arrived at using
the Seasonal Rainfall Predictions instrument, which was coordinated by
the Nigeria Meteorological Agency.
Bello said, “The natural phenomena that
controlled 2011 rainfall are still in force and as such it has been
predicted that rainfall will commence from Thursday, March 22, with a
margin of error of four days. To a large extent we will agree that this
prediction is true as the rains have started in Lagos.
“It has also been predicted that the end
of the season for 2012 is November 12 with a margin of error of two
days; with between November 10 and 14 as probable days.
“The total length of rainy season for
the year is approximately put at 236 days with a margin of error of two
days. Like last year, Lagos will experience heavy rainfall with serious
intensity.”
Bello assured residents that the government had designed programmes to manage the expected rain water and minimise flooding.
He said the massive clearing of
drainages, dredging of primary and secondary channels, lining of many
earth channels and the introduction of resident drainage maintenance
officers in local councils in the state were parts of efforts by the
government to cope with the rains.
Bello said, “But little can be achieved
without the collaboration of Lagosians. No nation can promise a flood
free state, only reduce it to barest minimum.
“We appeal that Lagosian should desist
from indiscriminate dumping of refuse, drains around homes must be
evacuated and building of structures on drainage alignments must stop.”
The commissioner explained that with the
work done by the Ministry of the Environment, which he supervised,
water on the road after every rain should not last for more than two to
24 hours.
He said in places where drainage
constructions were going on, the contractors had been mandated to open
up the channels when there was rain and cover them when it stops
raining.
He said, “We are also advising that people who don’t have to be out during the rains to stay at home.”-PUNCH
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