Lagos govt says 240 days rainfall begins March 19

Lagos State government on Tuesday urged residents of the state to prepare for likely consequences of the 240-270 days rainfall expected to begin on March 19.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, made the call at a news conference on the 2020 Seasonal Rainfall Predictions and Prevention of Flooding in Lagos, held at the Ministry’s Conference room in Ikeja.

He said it is necessary to inform Lagos residents about the 2020 rainfall prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

The commissioner said: “Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) is to allay fears of residents and prepare them ahead for the likely consequences of the rain.”

Bello told journalists the rainfall prediction for Lagos in 2020 was a near-normal one, adding that Ikeja was expected to have about 1,526 millimeters of rainfall, with Badagry experiencing 1,759 millimeters.

He added: “Lagos Island is expected to have a rainfall onset date of March 19, with an error margin of three days, while its cessation date is expected to be November 26.

“It is also expected that Lagos Island will have about 252 days of rainfall and about 1,714 millimeters of rainfall over the year.

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“It can be deduced that Lagos State shall experience a rainy season of 240-270 days, while the maximum annual rainfall is predicted to be 1,750 millimeters.

“The year 2020 will likely experience days with extremely high rainfall amount which may result in flooding.

“Another contributory factor to possible flooding in the state is sea-level rise.

“This poses the biggest risk to coastal areas and the state’s drainage infrastructure, as anytime there is high tidal movement, it may ‘lock up’ the discharged points of drainage channels and until it recedes, there will be no discharge.”

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