NEMA Warns Residents As Flood Takes Over Lagos Roads
The torrential rainfall witnessed in parts of Lagos State on Thursday left many roads, houses and shops flooded.
While the rain which started at about midday in some parts of the metropolis was still falling, the National Emergency Management Agency quickly issued an advisory cautioning residents, motorists, teachers and school proprietors, among others, on the need to exercise restraint during and after the downpour.
Roads both on the Island and Mainland sides of the state were flooded during the rainfall.
In the Mainland, roads were flooded in the Ikeja, Ogba, Agege, Abule-Egba, Iyana-Ipaja, Meiran and Egbeda-Idimu areas of the state.
It was gathered that while traffic on some of the roads was standstill during the downpour, some others witnessed slow movement as motorists struggle to wade through the flood.
An eyewitness who simply identified himself as John said motorists had a hectic time navigating through the bad portion of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway because of the flood.
“It was a standstill situation around Alakuko because of the bad spots on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
“Since flood had covered all the potholes on the road, motorists had to be cautious in order not to be stranded inside the flood,” John said.
In the Egbeda-Idimu area, the downpour which lasted for close to an hour saw the stretch of the road from Baba Oba Bus Stop to Abule Odu submerged.
The situation resulted in gridlock as motorists had difficulties navigating the axis.
Many vehicles also broke down in the flood.
The gridlock caused by the flood extended towards the Ikotun and Igando Roads.
Motorists plying the route were seen moving slowly on the lane close to the median while they stayed away from the service lane to avoid plunging into the drainage.
For the same reason, commuters were unable to move around even after the rain had stopped. Most of them were seen hanging around while waiting for the flood to reduce.
Some of the residents complained about the recurrence of floods in the area during the rainy season.
One of them who gave his name as Niyi Akomolafe said, “We are sick and tired of this flood. This has been the case for years in this area and it is like the government care less about it.
“Anytime I plan to go out and it rains, I become worried because that means I would have to spend more time on the road because of the traffic the flood causes.”
