Assessment of the Effects of Heavy Rainfall on the Environment and Human Health in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2026-1024-6360Keywords:
heavy rainfall, flooding, climate change, human health, environmental hazardAbstract
Heavy rainfall and the resulting floods are prominent manifestations of climate variability in low-lying coastal urban areas, with significant implications for environmental quality and public health. This study assessed the environmental and health effects of heavy rainfall on residents of Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA), Lagos State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires administered to 100 residents (20 per community) across five communities: Abraham Adesanya, Lekki, Sangotedo, Okun-Ajah and Ogombo. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS version 20 and Microsoft Excel. Most respondents (95%) perceived rainfall intensity as high. Damage to buildings and loss of property (55%) was identified as the most significant environmental impact, followed by disrupted transportation and water pollution (25%). Common cold (64%), typhoid (18%), malaria (11%), and diarrhoea (7%) were the most frequently reported health problems, while mosquito infestation (90%) and malaria-like symptoms (91%) were widely reported after rainfall events. Town hall meetings (40%) were considered the most effective awareness strategy, while clearing drainage channels (60%) and constructing durable drainage systems (51%) were the preferred mitigation measures. The study concludes that heavy rainfall poses substantial environmental and public health challenges in Eti-Osa LGA, worsened by poor drainage and indiscriminate waste disposal, and contributes community-level evidence on flood risk in Lagos's coastal LGAs. Strengthening drainage infrastructure, enforcing environmental sanitation laws, and promoting community-based awareness programmes are recommended to reduce flood-related risk.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Yemisi Aramide Tijani, Stephen Taiwo Ogundeji, Noa Abayomi Adedokun
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