The heavy rainfall that began on Friday night and continued into Saturday has had a severe impact on several areas in Lagos. Many residents have reported that the flooding has affected major roads, spilled into streets, and even entered their homes, causing damage to their belongings.

Some of the worst-hit areas include Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Ebute-Ero, Lagos Island, Satellite Town, Trade Fair, Abule-Ado, and Ago Palace Way, among others. The flooding has led to significant disruptions in these areas.

For instance, on the Trade Fair axis of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, floodwaters blocked parts of the road, leaving hundreds of motorists and passengers stranded. The flow of traffic was severely disrupted on both the Trade Fair and Abule-Ado sections of the expressway.

The heavy rains, which intensified around 5 a.m. on Saturday, forced many commuters to abandon their vehicles and resort to walking from Abule-Ado to Barracks in the Ojo area of the state. Additionally, some businesses, like Mrs. Ibironke Adegboyega’s shop in Ebute-Aro, Lagos Island, had to remain closed due to the flood, impacting daily operations.

These reports highlight the urgent need for improved drainage systems, urban planning, and disaster preparedness measures to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall and flooding in Lagos. It’s a reminder of the importance of addressing infrastructure and environmental challenges to ensure the safety and well-being of residents in the face of extreme weather events.

A motorist, Sola Charles, speaking with one of our correspondents, noted that parts of the Ikoyi area of Lagos Island leading to the mainland were flooded.

Sharing a video on Twitter, he said, “Be careful out there on the roads. Many areas in Lagos have been submerged following today’s early morning downpour. I was forced to abort my journey to Ikoyi from the mainland after hours of wading in bumper-deep.”

Also, a resident in the Satellite Town area, Mrs Chinwendu Ikechukwu, shared a video with one of our correspondents, which showed how the downpour flooded parts of the Arch Angel Church in the area, damaging some appliances.

In Lagos Island, many residents of Lekki, Lakowe, and Ajah also lamented how the flood swept through various streets and caused traffic along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in the early hours of Saturday.

The video showed the church faithful trying to raise part of the pews and also some electrical appliances that had already been damaged by the floods.

“It is terrible. The entire church is flooded. I don’t even know how we are going to worship tomorrow (today),” she said.

Also, major parts of the Under Bridge area of Trade Fair, Badagry Expressway were submerged by flood.

Many makeshift structures were destroyed and residents were seen wading through the murky waters to get to their destinations.

A trader who deals in soaps and cosmetics in the area and gave his name as Nasa said he woke up to find out that his shop had been flooded.

The impact of the flooding caused by the heavy rainfall in Lagos is devastating for local businesses and residents. Here are some accounts of the losses and challenges faced:

1. Loss of Fresh Goods: A trader expressed deep lamentation, noting that he had recently offloaded fresh goods on Friday, only to see everything washed away by the floods. This situation illustrates the significant financial losses incurred by businesses due to the flooding.
2. Electronics Warehouse Damaged: Another trader, Mr. Chude, who owned an electronics warehouse, rushed from his home in Ojo to his shop to salvage his goods. Unfortunately, some of his appliances, including refrigerators, were damaged by the flood. The ongoing rains compounded the challenges they faced.
3. Agege Underbridge: In the Agege Underbridge area, the heavy rain prevented traders from displaying their wares. Pedestrians also struggled to navigate through the area. Furthermore, the flood destroyed some of the pedestrian wooden bridges that were constructed to ease pedestrian movement to the other part of the bridge, adding to the difficulties faced by residents.

These accounts underscore the serious economic and social consequences of flooding in Lagos. It highlights the need for comprehensive measures to address drainage and infrastructure issues, as well as disaster preparedness, to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall on businesses and communities in the region.

The heavy rainfall in Lagos and neighboring areas has led to widespread flooding and disrupted transportation. Here are some additional reports of the flooding in various locations:

1. Lagos State University-Igando Road: Parts of the Lagos State University-Igando Road, including both lanes, were submerged by floods. This made it challenging for commuters and transporters to move freely in the area.
2. Badagry Communities: Communities in Badagry, including Mowo, Ikoga, Ansarudeen, Ajara-Vetho, Aghelaso, and Zogakome areas, were also affected by floods, further highlighting the widespread impact of the heavy rainfall in the region.
3. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: On the Long Bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, an entire lane was overtaken by floodwaters due to the downpour. Commuters expressed concerns about the lack of a proper drainage system on the bridge to remove excess water.
4. Ogun State: The heavy rains also resulted in flash floods and partial flooding of some streets in Ogun State. Fortunately, by 2 p.m., the water had started to recede in the affected areas.

These reports demonstrate the extent of the flooding and its impact on transportation, infrastructure, and communities in Lagos and nearby regions. Addressing the drainage and infrastructure challenges in these areas is essential to prevent such disruptions during heavy rainfall events.

However, the road linking Sparklight Estate with Oke-Afa Street in Magboro was submerged, forcing motorists and commercial motorcyclists to avoid the road.

A road leading into Hi-Impact Park, opposite Mountain Top University along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, was also partially flooded due to the overflowing water from the stream.

Commenting on the situation, the Head of Human Rights Project Environmental Development Agenda, Olarenwaju Surajudeen, blamed the Lagos State Government for their lack of proactive measures in addressing the perennial flooding in the state.

He also expressed disappointment in the disregard shown towards earlier drainage designs by previous governments.