Floods Trap Motorists and Residents in Lagos

Many parts of Lagos State were flooded on Wednesday after hours of heavy rainfall, leaving motorists and businesses stranded. Areas like Maryland, Lekki, Ogba, and Ikorodu were badly affected.

PUNCH Metro saw that the flood caused serious problems in these flood-prone areas. Residents and shop owners complained that the floodwater entered their homes and shops.

Several videos shared on social media showed people walking through flooded streets. Cars moved slowly or broke down on the flooded roads, making traffic even worse.

In Maryland, for example, the overflowing canal on Olatunji Street blocked access to nearby Mende. A resident, Chinasa Nnadi, said the area always floods during heavy rain and that people sometimes have to swim to reach their homes.

“This has been happening for years. The water is usually too much. Some people have even moved out of the area because of the flooding,” she said.

Kalu, a business owner who has lived in the area for three years, said he was shocked by how quickly the flood spread.

“I saw people trying to remove water from their homes. My shop also got flooded,” he said.

Christiana, a member of a local church, said the flood destroyed many of their musical instruments.

“When the canal is full, water enters the church. It reached halfway up the church building and caused a lot of damage,” she explained.

The heavy rain also caused serious traffic in many parts of Lagos. Waterlogged roads led to long hours of traffic, especially at busy spots like Ogba-Wempco Junction.

A commuter, Tunji Abass, said, “Vehicles were moving very slowly. It’s always like this during the rainy season. Sometimes, water even gets inside cars. The government really needs to fix this.”

Another resident, Victor Obinna, who works in the Ikate area, said he often sleeps in his office when it rains because traffic becomes unbearable.

“Sometimes I walk through the flood to get to work, and by the time I arrive, I’m soaked. I even dress up at the office because my clothes get wet on the way,” he said.

Some weeks ago, a report by PUNCH Metro showed that properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by flooding in Ikorodu. Videos from Wednesday again showed heavy flooding in that area

The flood damage in Lagos costs billions of naira every year. People lose homes, shops, vehicles, and time stuck in traffic. The floodwater also increases the risk of disease.

In response, the Lagos State Government said it sympathised with affected residents and is working to reduce future flooding.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said Lagos is naturally at risk of flooding because it is a coastal city. He noted that the government is investing in better drainage systems and enforcing environmental laws.

Wahab said the flood in the Kusenla area of Lekki was caused by technical problems because the land was higher than the drainage system. A new pumping station is being built to solve this issue.

He also blamed illegal buildings on floodplains and the dumping of waste in drains for some of the flooding near House on the Rock church.

“Some of the videos show clear violations. The government will remove illegal structures and stop people from blocking drains,” Wahab said.

He urged the public to stop dumping refuse into drains and to avoid building on floodplains. He also said that most of the flooding was temporary and had already gone down by the next morning.

“We are doing our best to manage flooding, but we need everyone’s help to keep Lagos safe, clean, and flood-free,” he added.

Source: Punch