By Rotimi Ojomoyela
ADO-EKITI: The Ekiti State Government has warned residents against attempting to cross flooded roads, bridges, streams and other water channels as heavy rainfall continues to cause flooding in parts of the state.
The government specifically cautioned motorists, commercial transport operators, motorcycle riders and pedestrians against underestimating the dangers posed by floodwaters, urging them to seek alternative routes or remain in safe locations until the water recedes.
The warning, issued by the State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, followed heavy rainfall recorded in Ado-Ekiti and other parts of the state in recent days, which resulted in flooding and affected properties, businesses and livelihoods.
Olatunbosun also expressed the government’s sympathy to residents whose properties and means of livelihood were affected by the flooding.
He urged residents to exercise extreme caution during periods of heavy rainfall, stressing that the apparent shallowness of floodwater should not be taken as an indication that a road or water channel was safe to cross.
The Commissioner further advised parents and guardians to ensure that children were kept away from flooded drainage channels, riverbanks and other locations where fast-moving water could pose a danger.
He also urged residents to seek shelter in safe and elevated locations during heavy rainfall and refrain from attempting to cross flooded routes.
Olatunbosun said the government had been aware of the possibility of intense rainfall and had commenced sustained public sensitisation ahead of the latest incident, based on forecasts by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
He said the sensitisation was aimed at ensuring that residents remained alert to weather forecasts, avoided vulnerable areas and took appropriate precautions whenever heavy rainfall occurred.
The Commissioner disclosed that, in response to concerns arising from the flooding, he had addressed residents protesting around the Pathfinder/Aayemi Garage area along the Iworoko Road, where flooding had generated concerns among residents and road users.
He added that he also appeared on a simulcast programme to explain the situation, the government’s interventions and the precautionary measures expected of residents.
While acknowledging concerns arising from the flooding, Olatunbosun urged residents to remain calm, exercise caution and cooperate with relevant authorities as efforts continued to address the situation and minimise further risks.
He noted that flooding associated with intense rainfall was not peculiar to Ekiti State, as similar incidents had been reported in parts of Akure, Osun, Oyo, Lagos and Delta states, as well as other parts of the world.
According to him, the incidents underscored the increasingly unpredictable nature of extreme weather events.
The Commissioner said warnings contained in weather forecasts by NiMet underscored the need for heightened vigilance and strict adherence to safety measures during periods of heavy rainfall.
He assured residents that the Ekiti State Government, under the leadership of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, had continued to implement measures aimed at mitigating flooding and protecting lives and property.
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