Photo: Parts of Ibeju-Lekki after Wednesday’s floods
By Divine Ihechimerem
Lagos residents on Wednesday re-echoed the 19th century, James Orchard Haliwell, nursery rhymes, “Rain, Rain Go Away”, as flood ravaged most parts of the city.
Flood-prone areas of city were totally submerged as the rain which began around 2 am, caused many residents to wake up to flooded homes and estates.
Many of the flood affected include Surulere, Ijesha, Okokomaiko, Ibeju-Lekki, Greenland Estate in Mende, Gbagada, Oshodi, Isolo, Lekki, Ikoyi, Ogba, Ikeja, and Ajah.
Major roads like the Iyana-Oworonshoki link to the Third Mainland Bridge, LASU/Iba-Ojo road, Awolowo Road in Ikeja, Apapa-Gbagada expressway, and the Lagos-Ibadan highway were also submerged.
Meanwhile, The Lagos state government has called for calm, reassuring residents that the “flash flood” on Wednesday, July 3, will recede with time.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, attributed the flooding to the state’s topography and climate change.
He said: “The Agency and other key responders are on high alert in case of any emergency. We urge the good people of Lagos to remain calm and refrain from any non-essential travel due to the incidence of flash floods across the State. They are already beginning to dissipate.”
Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu also emphasized that the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources is actively working to ensure residents’ safety.
He warned against indiscriminate waste disposal and construction along water channels, noting that such practices exacerbate flooding.
Recall that several parts of Lagos were submerged following a heavy downpour that began early on Wednesday morning, disrupting daily life and displacing residents.
Major roads, houses, and businesses were inundated, leaving passengers stranded and motorists marooned.
On Ago Palace Way, Lagos Mainland, traffic came to a standstill as the flooding rendered many roads nearly impassable, creating chaos for residents attempting to go about their daily routines.
Residents of Ago Palace Way and its environs, including Bucknor in the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), were particularly hard hit.
Streets and compounds were submerged, with vehicles struggling to navigate the flooded roads.
The traffic gridlock exacerbated the already dire situation.
One resident of the Bucknor area, who has lived there for the past five years, described the flooding as unprecedented.
“In all my years here, the flood has never reached inside Prince Chima Street,” he said.
He attributed the severe flooding to the overflowing canal, which has reached its capacity and is unable to channel the excess water.
“The connected sewage systems are also failing to cope with the deluge, contributing to the widespread inundation,” he said.