A relentless 10-hour downpour on Wednesday brought business and commercial activities to a standstill in many parts of Lagos and Ogun states. Floodwaters toppled a two-storey building in Mushin, halted vehicular movement, and left thousands of residents stranded. In several areas, schoolchildren could not attend classes due to the severe flooding.

10-Hour Rainfall: Businesses Grounded, House Collapses as Floods Overwhelm Lagos

Rainfall Duration Discrepancies

While the Lagos State government reported nine hours of rain, some areas experienced up to 12 hours of continuous rainfall, starting at midnight and subsiding only around noon. Among the worst-hit areas were Berger, Ikeja, and Ogba, where the downpour lasted approximately 10 hours.

Extensive Flooding Observed

Our correspondents observed significant flooding in several Lagos locations, including Iyana-Oworo, Agege, Ijegun-Isheri Osun, Gbagada, and Lagos Island. Floodwaters also inundated areas like Eredo, Bojije, Epe, Sangotedo, Ibeju-Lekki, Awoyaya, Labora, and Abijon. In Ogun State, places such as Atan-Ota, Aseese, Ifo, Sango-Ota, and Ijebu-Ode saw major roads submerged, making them impassable and leaving passengers stranded.

Building Collapse in Mushin

The heavy rains led to the collapse of a newly constructed two-storey building on Cameroon Road in Mushin, injuring seven people. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), confirmed that the seven victims were rescued alive and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. He attributed the building’s collapse to the adverse weather conditions.

Call for Caution and Safety

Oke-Osanyintolu urged Lagos residents to remain calm and avoid unnecessary travel due to the flash floods. He emphasized the importance of safety and advised against wading through floodwaters, which can be hazardous.

Impact on Education

The downpour affected students taking exams, with some schools in White Sand Estate, Isheri-Osun, in Alimosho Local Government Area, closing for the day. A parent, Atinuke, praised the school management for prioritizing student safety and postponing exams.

Persistent Flooding Issues

Residents of White Sand Estate frequently face severe flooding due to poor roads, inadequate drainage systems, and lack of maintenance. Many residents were trapped in their homes, with water reaching mid-level heights. The community development’s Public Relations Officer, Johnson Olabode, expressed frustration over the recurring problem and called for government intervention.

Transportation Woes

Major roads such as Majek, Abraham Adesanya, and Awoyaya-Sangotedo were heavily impacted, with ongoing road construction exacerbating the situation. Commercial vehicles and motorcycles took advantage of the situation, hiking transport fares. Anuoluwapo Atanda, a resident of Pen Cinema, Agege, attributed the flooding to blocked drainage systems and slow government efforts to create larger drainage.

Social Media Reactions

Lagos residents took to social media to share their experiences. One user, Chu Osakwe, warned others to stay home due to severe flooding on Gbagada to 7up inward 3MB. Another user highlighted the unprecedented flooding on the Third Mainland Bridge, urging people to avoid traveling.

Stranded Commuters and Transport Fare Hikes

Our correspondent observed stranded commuters in Ikeja, with many commercial buses refusing to operate due to the flood and traffic gridlock. Transport fares surged from the usual N300 to N700 for trips from Ogba to Ikeja. Hoodlums were reported extorting residents, demanding a N100 levy to access alternate routes.

Ogun State Experiences Flooding

Several communities in Ogun State, including Sango-Ota, Alagbado, Atan, Oju-ore, and Lusada, were submerged. Residents blamed the flooding on blocked waterways caused by indiscriminate waste dumping and construction on drainage rights-of-way. Abayomi Rufai, a resident of Atan-Ota, reported significant property damage and called for government intervention.

Government Response

The Lagos State Government called for calm and advised residents in low-lying areas to relocate to higher grounds. The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, reassured residents that the flooding would subside and emphasized the importance of maintaining drainage systems.

Impacts in Other States

Benin City, the Edo State capital, experienced slight flooding, disrupting vehicular movement. Ado Ekiti in Ekiti State saw light rain showers that affected commercial activities. In Akure, the torrential rain slowed down economic activities, while in Anambra State, roads and homes were submerged, causing severe gridlock and extortion by naval officers.

The persistent heavy rainfall across multiple states highlights the urgent need for improved drainage systems and proactive government measures to mitigate the impact of such natural disasters.

How the flood was in Lagos on 3rd june and affected 3rd mainland bridge and Lekki, oshodi, gbagada, iyana oworo, anthony pic.twitter.com/QXhG4FO6GF
— loadedvibesng (@loadedvibesng) July 4, 2024

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