The Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYOSEMA) has issued a flash flood alert for residents in Ibadan, particularly those in the Akinyele, Egbeda, and Oluyole local government areas.

The agency said in a statement by its administrative secretary, Ojuolape Busari, on Friday, that the flood early warning system’s latest weather forecast indicated that heavy rainfall is expected in the mentioned local government areas.

She urged residents to take proactive measures to mitigate the impact of potential flooding.

Ms Busari noted that some areas within the mentioned local governments could receive more than 100 mm (about four inches) of rain in the next 24 hours.

She highlighted that heavy rainfall would be experienced in the Northeast side of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) area, as well as at the airport in Ibadan.

Ms Busari said the flood alert became necessary to activate the concerned local government authorities and communities to take necessary actions to mitigate the risk of flooding and avoid loss of lives and displacement, as well as significant damage to property and infrastructure.

She added that the IITA (Akinyele) and the airport (Egbeda) areas would experience significant rainfall.

Ms Busari warned that accessibility to major roads in the predicted areas might become difficult or impassable.

She said heavy rain would make driving hazardous, advising residents to avoid driving or walking through floodwaters.

“People living in flood-prone areas should move to higher ground to avoid loss of lives and property,” she said.

(NAN)