The State Government says it wants residents to be prepared

The Lagos State Government has told people living in coastal areas to be watchful as a strong surge from hurricane Sandy ravaging the East Coast of the United States may hit the state in less than seven days.

The Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructural Development, Segun Oniru, in a press briefing, Tuesday, said the alert is necessary as the state lies parallel to the American coast and may be hit by ripple effect of the super storm.

“We want to let Lagosians know what is going on, and what to expect,” he said. “In the last five to six days, Hurricane Sandy has hit the east coast of America. Normally, when such happens and in the magnitude it hits that part of the world, we always have a ripple effect in Lagos and around the West Coast of Africa.”

“Our main concern is Lagos. Lagos lies parallel to the South America part of the world on the map, but Super storm Sandy has hit New York City and the Atlantic and the West part. That part of the world is northern to us, but we need to note that within the next 7 to 14 days, we may get a ripple effect,” he added.

Mr. Oniru said this is not meant to cause fear or panic but to get the people prepared for what is to come. He warned residents along the coastline to immediately evacuate if they experience any storm similar to the one that occurred last August.

Lagos is situated along the Atlantic Ocean and is often ravaged by strong ocean surges. The coastal areas are often the worst hit.