Lagos, Nigeria - The impact of Sunday’s floods on life and property in Nigeria’s commercial centre of Lagos is “most devastating”, according to the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Muhammad Sani-Sidi. Sani-Sidi, who led a response team to assess the devastation noted that “a number of deaths have been recorded while properties have been destroyed”. He listed “areas of great concern” as Oshodi, Apapa Expressway, Ikorodu, Ojodu Berger/Isheri axis, Oworonshoki, Gbagada, Agege Oniwaya, Iyana Ipaja and Lekki-Aja.

The team inspected the level of damage in order to determine the necessary intervention of government.

Sani-Sidi said: “Due to the recent flooding in Lagos, schools and public institutions are closed, vehicles and houses have been submerged, there is an increase in population of displaced people and psychological trauma as a result of losses suffered by victims”.

He called for inter-agency collaboration and coordination of the Ministry of Environment, NEMA, Dam Managers, Fire Service and construction engineers to chart a way forward.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had warned of impending flood and NEMA embarked on a sensitization programme to help in the risk management.

Pana 12/07/2011