Residents Cry For Help As Floods Hit Lagos, Disrupt Businesses

Residents Cry For Help As Floods Hit Lagos, Disrupt Businesses

Residents in flood-prone areas of Lagos State are crying out for government intervention after heavy rainfall caused flash flooding.

The rains, which started on Tuesday evening, persisted non-stop up to Thursday evening causing damage to properties and stalling business activities.

In Oworonshoki, Kosofe local government area, one resident, Towolawi Jamiu, attributed the flooding to failure of leadership to forecast yearly flooding events which can be avoided.

He said, "The flooding in Oworonshoki and Bariga is also a result of the ongoing sand filling of the wetland and lagoon by the third mainland bridge. A total of about 40 hectares of wetland by the lagoon was heavy sand-filled for a purpose unknown to the residence and was abandoned.

"This sand effect is having a ripple effect on residential houses around the location and Bariga waterside. About 250 houses are currently affected by this project. Several residents have evacuated their homes to look for new abodes as a result of the continuous flood."

He added that the poor drainage network in the area was also contributing to the problem of flooding occasioned by heavy rainfall.

"We have only two natural drainage systems that help absorb and discharge water to Lagos lagoon. One (1km) stretches from Ifako and empties into the lagoon. The other is about 3km, stretches from Ifako bus stop and empties into Lagoon through Iyana Oworo.

"The natural drainage of about 3km, which acts as a secondary drainage system that channels water to Lagos lagoon at both ends of Oworonshoki (Ifako and Oworo), is usually filled with silt, waste and vegetation.

"More than 60% of streets in Oworonshoki do not have a drainage system (gutter) in front of their houses. Some of the gutters are not linked to the natural drainage channels. So when it rains, the water flows back to the street, thereby flooding the street, damaging the roads."

Jamiu called on the Lagos State government to act fast by clearing gutters in the area as well as using interlocking pacers when constructing roads in flood-prone areas to reduce flood impact.

In Ikoyi, many businesses asked workers to stay home due to inaccessible roads and heavy traffic caused by flooding.

"This morning, I got dressed to work and spent many hours in traffic moving from Lagos Island to Awolowo road in Ikoyi. When I got to work, we were asked to go back home and work from home because many people could not make it to work because of the flood.

"Many businesses did not open as well to avoid problems that come with the flooding," Gideon Seyi, a communications professional, told SaharaReporters on Thursday.

In Lekki, floods seeped through an apartment building and caused roads to be inaccessible.

"The whole day is wasted, I cannot go anywhere. The last time something like this happened was last year and I tried to navigate with my car, my engine packed up. I am not willing to take that risk again.

"What you are seeing is a product of poor planning. This is not the first time Lagos is experiencing flood but what steps has the government taken? We are still trying to reopen after the COVID-19 saga, how many Nigerians can afford to lose their businesses to flood. The government should do better, especially on Lagos Island, Lekki Ajah axis and I hope they act fast," said Olufemi Waithe, a Lekki resident.

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