Lagos Floods: Businesses Halted, Homes Collapse After 10-Hour Rainfall

Severe flooding wreaked havoc across Lagos and Ogun states on Wednesday, disrupting business operations and causing significant traffic disruptions following a relentless 10-hour rainfall. The downpour, which persisted in some areas for up to 12 hours, inundated roads and homes, compelling thousands of residents to contend with flooded streets and impassable routes.

In Lagos, particularly hard-hit areas like Mushin, Iyana-Oworo, Agege, and Gbagada experienced substantial flooding, with water levels rising to the extent that a two-story building collapsed on Cameroon Road in Mushin. Seven individuals were fortunately rescued alive from the rubble by emergency responders. According to Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, the collapse was attributed to the adverse weather conditions.

Throughout Lagos Island, Epe, Sangotedo, and other locales, the inundation submerged roads and encroached into residential areas, exacerbating the plight of residents already grappling with blocked drainage systems and ongoing road construction projects. In Ogun State, major thoroughfares such as Majek, Abraham Adesanya, and Awoyaya-Sangotedo were similarly submerged, stranding commuters and prompting commercial transport operators to hike fares.

Residents, like Anuoluwapo Atanda from Pen Cinema, Agege, lamented the recurring flooding caused by clogged drains and inadequate drainage maintenance. She pointed out that despite efforts to expand drainage systems, incomplete construction exacerbated the flooding woes during this rainy season.

The challenges posed by the prolonged rainfall underscored the vulnerability of infrastructure and the urgent need for improved urban planning and flood management strategies across both states.