Motorists Stranded as Flood Wreaks Havoc Across Lagos

Hours of heavy downpour on Wednesday brought Lagos to a standstill as flash floods swept through multiple communities, stranding motorists, submerging homes, and disrupting business activities.

PUNCH Metro observed that flood-prone areas including Maryland, Lekki, Ogba, and Ikorodu were worst hit, with roads submerged and commuters forced to wade through rising water. Several videos circulating on social media showed residents trekking through waterlogged streets while motorists inched forward in gridlock.

On Olatunji Street in Maryland, the overflow of a nearby canal cut off access to Mende community entirely. “This has been happening for years now,” resident Chinasa Nnadi lamented. “People even swim to their houses. Some have been forced to relocate because of how bad it gets.”

Business owners were not spared. A shopkeeper identified as Kalu said water quickly entered his store, destroying goods, while Christiana, a church member in the area, said her congregation’s instruments were ruined. “When the canal is full, water reaches half the building. It causes extreme damage,” she said.

The downpour worsened traffic across the state as vehicles broke down on flooded roads, forcing many commuters to spend hours trying to get home. “It’s always like this during the rainy season,” said commuter Tunji Abass, who endured a gridlock at Ogba-Wempco Junction. “Sometimes water even gets inside vehicles. Government needs to act fast.”

In Lekki, resident Victor Obinna revealed that he sometimes sleeps in his office to avoid being trapped by flood-induced traffic. “When I do go home, I have to walk through the water before getting to the office the next day. By then, I’m soaked,” he said.

Reacting to the incident, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, sympathised with affected residents and assured that efforts are underway to address recurrent flooding. He explained that flooding around the Kusenla area was worsened by drainage limitations, but said a pumping station project has already been awarded to fix the problem.

Wahab also linked flooding near House on the Rock church to illegal construction on floodplains and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, warning that such structures would be removed.

“Keeping our environment clean and refraining from dumping refuse into drains is vital to achieving a flood-free Lagos,” he said, adding that Wednesday’s floods had largely receded by Thursday morning.

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