The Ogun State Government has urged residents living in riverbank and wetland areas to prepare for the overflow of Ogun River in the next two weeks, from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3.

This is contained in a flood alert released by the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya, in Abeokuta on Monday.

Oresanya listed the areas as Akute, Alagbole, Isheri, Magboro, Makogi, Orimerunmu, Iro, Kajola and part of Abeokuta specifically Lafenwa, Enugada, Adedotun, Iberekodo, Akin-Olugbade, and Ago-Odo

He said the alert was part of the government’s continued efforts at mitigating flooding in the state through its periodic flood alert.

“The overflow from Ogun river would rise as a result of controlled release of water from Oyan Dam due to heavy rainfall from up-north.

“This will increase the volume of water reaching the dam from that part of the country which will be compounded by increase in tidal level,” he said.

He said the waterflow into the dam would inevitably force the release of water from the dam that would affect the areas.

He urged residents of the areas to exercise caution and avoid loss of lives and property within the period.

Oresanya emphasised the need for residents of the areas to avoid the riverbank, while those in the wetlands should move to higher grounds or elevate their stay for now as the overflow becomes inevitable.

He added that the state government had continuously dredged and opened up more tributaries for Ogun River to ease the pressure of the overflow on residents in collaboration with the Ogun Osun River Basin Authority.

He, therefore, enjoined residents of the areas not to panic, assuring that the tide would go down in about 10 days as the mitigating measures from the state government cannot stop the activities of nature.

Oresanya also used the opportunity to call on fish farmers in the areas mentioned to harvest their fishes in order to avoid inevitable losses.