The Lagos State Government, under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for calm following severe flash floods caused by torrential rainfall across the state.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, made the plea in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
The downpour, which began around 2 a.m., caught many residents off guard, flooding homes and neighborhoods.
The impact was widespread, affecting areas including Surulere, Ijesha, Okokomaiko, Ibeju-Lekki, Greenland Estate in Mende, Gbagada, Oshodi, Isolo, Lekki, Ikoyi, Ogba, Ikeja, and Ajah.
Major roads such as 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 inundated, making it difficult for many students and workers to leave their homes. Floodwaters also submerged cars parked in gated estates and garages.
Wahab noted, “Lagos has experienced about nine hours of non-stop rainfall since the early hours of Wednesday.
This is coupled with the heavy rainfall which the state has been experiencing daily since the previous week resulting in the rise in the level of the Lagos lagoon.”
He assured residents that the flash floods would recede once the rains abate and the lagoon level decreases. The state has deployed the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang to clear major blockages, including those at Iyana-Oworo.
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Residents in low-lying areas were urged to relocate to higher grounds to safeguard lives and properties. Wahab also advised against wading through floods with vehicles, warning that even a foot of flowing water could sweep away a vehicle, regardless of the number of occupants.
The commissioner encouraged residents to stay informed with daily weather reports from the State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources to guide their activities.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining and cleaning tertiary drains and refraining from dumping refuse in drains to prevent flooding.
Wahab reiterated the government’s commitment to a year-long maintenance and cleaning of secondary and primary collectors to manage runoffs from heavy rainfalls effectively.
