Heavy Rainstorm Wreaks Havoc In Lagos, Renders Many Homeless

By Akinwale Kasali

The heavy rainstorm that Lagos, Oyo State, Ogun and its environs witnessed has wreaked havoc, and left many counting their losses.

The rain which started at dawn, Tuesday continued beyond mid-day, sacking many from their homes, as residents lament the loss of property and flooding of private and commercial homes.

Workers, mororists, commuters and even students writing their National Examination Council, NECO and promotion examinations were thrown into turmoil all day on Wednesday, as there was traffic gridlock on roads as a result of flood that has taken over the roads in most part of Lagos.

Investigations revealed that those living in Lagos Island and mainland were adversely affected by the heavy downpour.

On Ikorodu Road, there was traffic snarl, as most commuters were forced to return home, due to the impossible navigation to their respective destinations.

The heavy downpour, which began early Wednesday, caused water levels to rise rapidly, inundating homes, businesses, and major roads.

It caused flooding in the Iyana-Oworo area leading to the 3rd Mainland Bridge/Oshodi.

The flood rendered the road almost impassable causing heavy gridlock that has extended to the Berger area of the State.

Local authorities report that the worst-hit areas include Lekki, Victoria Island, and Ajah, where streets have turned into rivers and vehicles have been submerged.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in all my years living here,” said a resident of Lekki. “The water came in so fast; we barely had time to save any of our belongings.”

The flooding has raised concerns about the city’s infrastructure and drainage systems, long criticized for being inadequate to handle heavy rains. Experts are calling for urgent improvements to prevent future disasters.

In Ogun State and Oyo State, it was the same situation, as many residents are counting their losses. Commuters and motorists were stranded, while some houses and cars were flooded.

The Lagos State Government has called for calm after the downpour which began around 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

The rain which caused heavy flooding has led to gridlock in many parts of the state especially Olopo Meji inward third Mainland, Ikeja, Lekki, Isheri Oshun and environs.

Reacting to the development, Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, urged residents to avoid panic.

Wahab revealed that the flash flood is being caused by the high intensity of the long rain duration coupled with the current high tidal lagoon level.

He wrote, “The Olopo Meji inward 3rd Mainland situation is a flash flood that is due to the high intensity of the rain, long duration rain coupled with high tidal lagoon level at the moment. Be rest assured it would go away in about 1-2hour. As the high tidal level of the lagoon goes down, the rain/ storm water will be able to discharge into the lagoon.”

In a fresh update, the Commissioner wrote:

“The EFAG team from the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources @LasgMOE were deployed to monitor/clear the flash flood at the Olopomeji section of Iyana Oworo.

“The road is now free from rainwater. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”