Environmental experts have warned that the flood witnessed in some parts of Lagos at the weekend will get worse if the right steps are not taken by the state government.

Peter Nwilo, former Surveyor-General of the Federation, told NAN on Monday that the recent incident is the worst flooding the state has ever witnessed, stressing that all sand-filling works around Lagoon and waterfronts must stop immediately.

“I do not think the water level of the Lagoon has risen like this before in the state,” he said.

“Look around you, Lagos Lagoon and all waterfronts in the state are being sand-filled for the development of estates. This is being done without proper Environmental Impact Assessment on consequences of such development on the environment.

“The natural canal is being blocked all around the state and when this happens, the water stays with us and that is the flooding we are experiencing.

“We will work on the other causes of the flooding later and that is when we can proffer sustainable solutions to what is happening now. But for now, sand-filing of Lagos Lagoon and waterfronts should stop.”

The flooding disaster in Lekki and environs dominated both the social and conventional media space during the weekend, sparking debates on the likely causes.

Some people think it is part of the effects of climate change that has led to the ocean overflowing its banks, while others believe the problem is largely a result of indiscriminate sand-filling of the waterfronts leading to blockage of several drainages.

However, Sylvester Egwu, an academic professor and environmentalist expert, said the recent flood in Lagos State has little to do with Climate Change.

“Besides being climate change situation, all drainage systems in the area are blocked, majority of them by illegal structures,” he said.

“The drainage systems are not flowing, so all the refuse that are not evacuated and dumped anywhere and anyhow are now in the drainage channels.

“We are only praying to God not to allow the ocean to swallow us up and (we) become food to our aquatic friends out there. We cannot even come out of our houses, that is those of us that water has not overtaken our entire houses.”

Egwu called for the removal of all the illegal structures on drainage right-of-way and the refuse obstructing the free flow of water.

Similarly, Victor Imvebore, Chairman of Nigerian Environmental Society, Lagos Island Chapter, said the recent disaster did not come as a surprise to environmentalists.

“Environment lovers have raised alarm several times, warned government and private individuals, especially estate developers and contractors, on the consequences of blocking and building on wetlands.

“Those areas are to serve as buffer zones for excess water from the Ocean, Lagoon, seas and rivers.

“Whenever nongovernmental organisations on environment, foundations and activists demand for EIAs on major projects, they become enemies of government.

“We have always known and warned that projects built indiscriminately in those areas prone to flooding are disasters waiting to happen. We build on flood plain areas and complain when our houses are flooded? This is just tip of the iceberg.”