Heavy rainfall pounds Lagos, structures cave in, motorcyclist swept away in flood

Heavy rainfall accompanied by strong wind and flood, on Saturday, wreaked havoc in different parts of Lagos State.

Reports say residents of the State were inundated by flood following the heavy rainfall that started Friday night in some parts.

Several houses and roads were submerged in the flood caused by rain that lasted several hours.

Hundreds of motorists and passengers going to Mile 2 were stranded as flood disrupted free movement on the Trade Fair and Abule-Ado axis of Lagos-Badagry expressway.

Oko-baba in Agege, Egbede, Ikotun, Ajegunle, and Ojo were among the worst hit areas as the flood swept through streets from over-flown canals.

Sections of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway were cut off on both sides by the flood, leading to a gridlock. Awolowo Road in Ikeja area of the was initially rendered impassable by flood, which only receded hours after the rains subsided.

Residents were seen bailing out water from their already flooded homes.

The floodwater covered many houses in Ijanikin, Alaba International Market area, Ajangbadi and Etegbi, all in the Ojo Local Area.

Also, residents of Papa Ashafa and Fashola communities in Orile-Agege LCDA were not spared of the trauma of the flood waters.

Water also overflowed most drainage channels in the affected areas and entered houses. In some neighbourhoods, it destroyed fences and gates.

Reports say that residents in the affected communities were battling to salvage some of their property, while many families temporarily relocated.

Residents, who live close to canals appealed to the State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to come to their aid by dredging the canals.

At the Ile-Epo axis of Alimosho Local Government Area, a motorcyclist simply identified as Mr. Abe was swept off the road, into the canal close to Ile Epo bus stop, after refusing to heed warnings from his colleagues not to ride during the rain.

The territorial coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, said the incident happened around 10:30am, adding that the body of the victim was yet to be recovered as of the time he was speaking.

Farinloye said some residents that have been displaced by the flood are taking refuge in four churches in the area.

“Some vulnerable groups have moved to temporary safe facilities, while the adults are salvaging their water-impacted properties,” he said.

“NEMA is assisting the owner of a building where the fence collapsed.”

Farinloye also said the Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, has directed the immediate release of relief materials to the affected flood victims in Lagos.

“Children’s wears, women’s wears, mattresses, antiseptics and other immediate assistance to the impacted population at Orile-Agege LGA to provide immediate succour to about 200 people this afternoon are being loaded currently,” Farinloye said.

He appealed to Lagos residents to take precautions during such heavy rainfall.

He confirmed that areas mostly affected by the rainfall include Satellite Town; Oko-baba in Agege; Egbede; Ikotun; Ajegunle; and Ojo.

Meanwhile, the State government has suspended the planned closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for repair works. The suspension, it said, is indefinite.

The government had scheduled to shut down the Bridge for two Sundays to facilitate periodic maintenance on it.

The Third Mainland Bridge was originally scheduled for closure on Sunday, September 17 and Sunday, September 24, 2023.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, announced through a statement on Saturday that the postponement was caused by heavy rain experienced around the town.

Osiyemi noted how the rain had impacted the preliminary planning for the Lagos State Public Works Corporation’s anticipated palliative works on the bridge’s asphalt pavement.

He promised that the palliative works would be properly communicated at a later date that would depend on the weather.

The transport commissioner asked drivers to keep using the bridge while observing safety precautions.