Flood claims 7 lives in Lagos

No fewer than seven people have lost their lives in the flooding which occurred in Lagos State last weekend.

The South West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, made the disclosure via a statement issued on Wednesday.

Farinloye said: “The post-emergency phase assessment after the unprecedented rainfall of Friday, 8th July and Saturday, 9th July, 2022 has revealed that about seven people – three children of same parent and four adults – died.

“About eight lives were also saved during the period, as a result of the flooding that was witnessed during the two-day continuous rainfall.”

He further stated that the three siblings, who lost their lives, were residing at a church building belonging to Mercy of Christ Apostolic Church, situated in an uncompleted building.

The NEMA coordinator disclosed that the siblings, Michael, 18; Elizabeth, aged 17; and 14-year-old Timi, were swept away while trying to relocate from their room to the main church structure.

Farinloye added that the youngest child, Timi, who was said to be asthmatic, while trying to climb the plank linking their room to the church building, slipped and was overpowered by the flood.

The NEMA coordinator stated that the remaining two, while trying to rescue their sibling, were also swept away by the flood.

Farinloye said the NEMA team, while on a condolence visit to the families, met with representatives of Progressive Community Development Area, who conducted the agency round the affected communities.

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“The bereaved parents were said to be somewhere, but the NEMA team had a brief meeting with the community leaders on the way forward.

“An appeal was made to them that for the rest of the year, the community must embark on awareness and sensitisation on safe actions, to avoid the situation that they experienced during the period.

“The community leaders also informed NEMA that in the same community, four siblings were also swept away on the same day, but that the community members rallied round and rescued all of them,” Farinloye stated.

He listed the flooded communities to include Oke Isagun, Agbado Oke, Oko LCDA, all in Alimosho LGA.

Farinloye added that members of the Progressive CDA briefed NEMA that rainwater from Meiran, Abbatoir, Alagbado, Agege, and Tollgate converged in their community.

He further gave an update on the flood at Oyatoki in Orile Agege, saying two people died, while four were rescued.

The Star