The ocean surge that swept through the Kuramo beach on Victoria Island, causing loss of lives and properties, may be a natural phenomenon; it nevertheless highlights the need for government to be proactive in regulating and monitoring the use of the nation’s beach fronts to avoid the danger posed to people’s lives in times of surge. Beaches could be entertaining recreation spots but at the same time dangerous when the sea is provoked by natural forces. It is also doubtful if there was adequate warning of the disaster, which could be achieved with modern technology.
When pushed by strong winds, or undersea earthquake (tsunami), the ocean could swell beyond normal sea level and rush towards the coast, sweeping away objects on its path back into the sea. The surge is usually momentary, lasting no more than a few minutes or even seconds that however can be most destructive. Ocean surge occurs mostly at night due to pressure differences between the land and sea. When high pressure over the ocean surface generates high winds (onshore winds), pushing the sea surface towards the land where there is low pressure, it swells and rolls coastward in a surge. This is associated with low pressure tropical cyclone.
The Kuramo ocean surge was therefore not an unusual event. It started suddenly on August 18, around 2am when most people were asleep and swept an unknown number of people away. Reports say 15 people were missing. The bodies of some were washed ashore later. The people lived and traded in ramshackle structures. Properties worth millions were also destroyed.
In a swift reaction, the Lagos State Government ordered immediate evacuation of the beach front and sealed it off before deploying bulldozers to demolish the structures. This action caused more damage and hardship than the surge itself. Apart from losing their belongings, over 15, 000 people, most of who had lived in Kuramo for decades, were rendered homeless. The action is coming on the heels of the recent demolition of Makoko, another Lagos water front, inhabited mostly by fishing households. That these communities were allowed to settle on those spots in the first place, only to be demolished in a flash raises questions of governance and social responsibilities. Both the Kuramo and Makoko incidents advertised lack of physical planning in Lagos.
Ocean surge is a purely natural phenomenon that could occur on any coast anywhere in the world once its cause is triggered. Although there is no human cause to ocean surge, the extent of damage depends on the level of human activity or infrastructure present at the coast at the time of the surge. If the coast is free from human activities, the surge will occur without damage. But where there are lots of human activities, an ocean surge could be disastrous.
The land reclamation going on in parts of Lekki and Victoria Island areas of Lagos is again not a cause of the ocean surge. But such human interventions that constrict the ocean surface can aggravate the surge when it occurs. Besides, when infrastructure and humans settle on those reclaimed areas, they are exposed to ocean surge when and if it occurs.
Reclaimed coastal areas are danger zones. That is why the authorities should be wary of the way infrastructures are set up in the Lekki axis to avoid future disasters that could swoop the area from the ocean. Ocean surge is unpredictable and can hardly be linked to climate change since the oceans can surge even without climate change, contrary to the flurry of uninformed outbursts by many Nigerians. And the fact that it occurred at the Kuramo beach does not mean that it will recur there; neither is It precluded from occurring elsewhere.
The demolition of structures at Kuramo beach because of the ocean surge came too late, and to that extent was uninformed, unless the structures were demolished with the intention to rebuild them into standard tourist resort. Both the bar beach and Kuramo sea fronts are popular tourist resorts that should be harnessed, rather than left fallow. However, any such development should make allowances for possible surge from the sea or ocean in future.
In 2005, a similar ocean surge occurred at the bar beach section and not the Kuramo beach. It necessitated the demolition of structures at the bar beach. But Demolishing structures each time there is a surge creates undue apprehension that another surge is imminent, which is not exactly the case. Ocean surge is possible at the other beaches in Badagry, Maiyegun, Ojo, Alpha and others.
Government should put the right infrastructure at the beaches for people to use, such that in the event of a surge, there would be minimal damage. People were swept away because they lived in makeshift structures that could not withstand the sea swirl. Besides, there are no adequate rules and regulations guiding the use of the beach. There is need to enlighten people on the inevitability of these natural events. The state government should rise up to the challenge of making the beaches more conducive for recreation and tourism. ocean surge that swept through the Kuramo beach on Victoria Island, causing loss of lives and properties, may be a natural phenomenon; it nevertheless highlights the need for government to be proactive in regulating and monitoring the use of the nation’s beach fronts to avoid the danger posed to people’s lives in times of surge. Beaches could be entertaining recreation spots but at the same time dangerous when the sea is provoked by natural forces. It is also doubtful if there was adequate warning of the disaster, which could be achieved with modern technology.
When pushed by strong winds, or undersea earthquake (tsunami), the ocean could swell beyond normal sea level and rush towards the coast, sweeping away objects on its path back into the sea. The surge is usually momentary, lasting no more than a few minutes or even seconds that however can be most destructive. Ocean surge occurs mostly at night due to pressure differences between the land and sea. When high pressure over the ocean surface generates high winds (onshore winds), pushing the sea surface towards the land where there is low pressure, it swells and rolls coastward in a surge. This is associated with low pressure tropical cyclone.
The Kuramo ocean surge was therefore not an unusual event. It started suddenly on August 18, around 2am when most people were asleep and swept an unknown number of people away. Reports say 15 people were missing. The bodies of some were washed ashore later. The people lived and traded in ramshackle structures. Properties worth millions were also destroyed.
In a swift reaction, the Lagos State Government ordered immediate evacuation of the beach front and sealed it off before deploying bulldozers to demolish the structures. This action caused more damage and hardship than the surge itself. Apart from losing their belongings, over 15, 000 people, most of who had lived in Kuramo for decades, were rendered homeless. The action is coming on the heels of the recent demolition of Makoko, another Lagos water front, inhabited mostly by fishing households. That these communities were allowed to settle on those spots in the first place, only to be demolished in a flash raises questions of governance and social responsibilities. Both the Kuramo and Makoko incidents advertised lack of physical planning in Lagos.
Ocean surge is a purely natural phenomenon that could occur on any coast anywhere in the world once its cause is triggered. Although there is no human cause to ocean surge, the extent of damage depends on the level of human activity or infrastructure present at the coast at the time of the surge. If the coast is free from human activities, the surge will occur without damage. But where there are lots of human activities, an ocean surge could be disastrous.
The land reclamation going on in parts of Lekki and Victoria Island areas of Lagos is again not a cause of the ocean surge. But such human interventions that constrict the ocean surface can aggravate the surge when it occurs. Besides, when infrastructure and humans settle on those reclaimed areas, they are exposed to ocean surge when and if it occurs.
Reclaimed coastal areas are danger zones. That is why the authorities should be wary of the way infrastructures are set up in the Lekki axis to avoid future disasters that could swoop the area from the ocean. Ocean surge is unpredictable and can hardly be linked to climate change since the oceans can surge even without climate change, contrary to the flurry of uninformed outbursts by many Nigerians. And the fact that it occurred at the Kuramo beach does not mean that it will recur there; neither is It precluded from occurring elsewhere.
The demolition of structures at Kuramo beach because of the ocean surge came too late, and to that extent was uninformed, unless the structures were demolished with the intention to rebuild them into standard tourist resort. Both the bar beach and Kuramo sea fronts are popular tourist resorts that should be harnessed, rather than left fallow. However, any such development should make allowances for possible surge from the sea or ocean in future.
In 2005, a similar ocean surge occurred at the bar beach section and not the Kuramo beach. It necessitated the demolition of structures at the bar beach. But Demolishing structures each time there is a surge creates undue apprehension that another surge is imminent, which is not exactly the case. Ocean surge is possible at the other beaches in Badagry, Maiyegun, Ojo, Alpha and others.
Government should put the right infrastructure at the beaches for people to use, such that in the event of a surge, there would be minimal damage. People were swept away because they lived in makeshift structures that could not withstand the sea swirl. Besides, there are no adequate rules and regulations guiding the use of the beach. There is need to enlighten people on the inevitability of these natural events. The state government should rise up to the challenge of making the beaches more conducive for recreation and tourism.
Culled from the Guardian.
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