Water Water Everywhere
Thoughts on the torrential rainfall and flooding in Lagos
Almost every year in July, sometime within the first week, weekend, or second week, Lagos experiences torrential rainfall. I know this because I have observed it over the years. I had been checking my weather app almost religiously for the past two weeks and the forecast was nonstop rain from last Friday until this Monday. Based on this, I was certain we would experience this annual event last Saturday. It didn’t happen as it was mostly either sunny or cloudy. Rainfall was light, mainly insignificant during this period and I completely forgot about the annual torrential rainfall it happened.
When I woke up around 3.30am, I realised it had been raining for a few hours. I went back to sleep and when I finally got up around 6am, it was still raining. It continued to rain until early evening and drizzled into the night. It was a very wet day. The torrential downpour engulfed many parts of Lagos with many people reporting their experience. The first was a tweet I saw on X (formerly Twitter) about the access road leading to the Third Mainland Bridge being flooded. I was surprised, I don’t think I have ever heard of that happening. Gradually more pictures and videos began circulating of many places around Lagos. It seemed like no area was spared. Staff buses broke down on flooded roads, cars and houses were submerged by water, and even Oshodi wasn’t spared as I saw a video of people walking through the flooded road.
Many of those who were brave enough to leave home early in the day were filled with regrets. They either experienced some car trouble as a result of driving through flooded waters, got to work very late, or were completely drenched to their bone marrows. I can only imagine how much loss people have suffered in one day of severe rainfall. The forecast even says it will be seven days of continuous rain so we probably have not seen the last of it.
Why the heavy rain and the resulting floods? Many have been quick to blame it on climate change and global warming. Truthfully, this has a part to play as the long-established schedule of weather activities many of us grew up with is now different. The rainy season no longer seems to have a definite timeline and harmattan, which often arrives later than expected, doesn’t often come with the cold that accompanies the dryness. Global warming appears to have become more threatening in recent times and even though many global climate events take place yearly, not all countries have been committed to taking as much action as they could. Many of the developing nations have pointed fingers at the developed nations and challenged them to pull their weight more as the impact of their activities, not just in their own countries but also in some developing countries, has been far more significant than others.
Lagos, being a city below sea level, is already prone to flooding. When you factor in global warming, that makes our case more worrying as any sustained rainfall is guaranteed to increase the water level which would cause flooding. But global warming isn’t the only issue as blockage of drains and canals has also been identified to be a major issue. Poor, inadequate, or non-existent waste disposal practices are a huge cause of flooding. Many people just throw their waste in gutters, where do they think the waste goes to? Some others who would probably consider themselves more enlightened, leave their refuse on street corners for the waste disposal agents to pick up. On a rainy day, that waste is likely to end up in the gutter before it gets collected.
In areas where development occurs before the government arrives to provide basic city infrastructure such as drains and drainage channels; the likelihood of flooding is higher. Many areas within the Lekki- Epe axis are in this group and even though residents often resort to self-help in creating their infrastructure, it is often a challenge due to the costs or frustrations from relevant authorities. The speed of development within the city has also affected city planning as many developers and their public and private sector cohorts have connived to build in areas that have been zoned for other purposes. If you have ever wondered why there aren’t so many green areas around, it’s probably due to this reason. Areas that are close to water exit points which feed into lagoons or canals that have been blocked also tend to suffer during the rainy season. I am not sure if that is the issue with Dolphin Estate for example. I am constantly amazed at how it appears to be a huge cesspool during the rainy season. Many parts of Lekki also are in this category.
Aligned with the issue of city development is dredging and sand filling which goes on in many parts around Lagos. I have always maintained that these activities have contributed significantly to the flooding situation even though many people will readily counter this. When areas are dredged and other areas are sand-filled, it is likely to upset the natural balance of the environment. This is certainly not the case all of the time as I am sure there are scientific ways of establishing the impact of dredging and sand filling which would then inform the actions of the relevant personalities.
What can be done to reduce the impact of flooding in Lagos? Venice is a city on water and they have managed their situation for many years, maybe we can learn a thing or two. One key thing is awareness and I know that the relevant government agencies often send notifications of heavy rainfall ahead of time through the media. However, these notifications usually request that people move from flood-prone areas but where are they expected to move to?
Ensuring adequate and unrestricted drainage channels and canals is also key. Many people need to do better with disposing of their waste. Today’s small actions can result in tomorrow’s big problems so throwing a small bag in the gutter repeatedly can negatively impact the local environment. The government also needs to provide adequate refuse disposal services that can support the willingness of right-thinking citizens. This, together with creating drainages where there are none, otherwise the water just collects until it becomes a great mass. Ensuring that people adhere to relevant city planning guidelines is also very important. In recent times, the Lagos State Government has deployed enforcement teams to various parts of the state to reclaim canal access areas. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in the demolition of houses but if anyone builds in an area they shouldn’t have, can one blame the government for restoring sanity?
We all have a part to play in this, whether our role is major or minor. The rains are here and there is no guarantee that we will not experience sustained rainfall leading to floods again, so we need to prepare ourselves for the worst whilst hoping for the best. This is the way I see things today.
