Motorists, commuters stranded as floods submerge Lagos roads

Torrential rainfall brought commercial and vehicular activities to a standstill across Lagos on Sunday, as flash floods submerged major roads. The downpour, which lasted from around noon to 4 p.m., inundated highways and inner-city roads, trapping many vehicles and causing hours of traffic gridlock. Major routes including the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ikorodu Road, and Lekki-Epe Expressway were heavily flooded, disrupting the movement of people and goods. Many motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles, while public transport operators suspended services, leaving commuters to trek long distances. This situation follows a recent forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) warning of thunderstorms and potential flash floods in several states. The agency had urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant. Affected motorists and commuters lamented the situation, attributing the flooding to blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate refuse dumping, and poor maintenance of existing drainage infrastructure. One motorist, Johnson Alaba, described the blocked drainage channels as a major cause of the flooding on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. Another, identified as Tony, recounted navigating through floodwaters mixed with refuse along the same expressway, urging the state government to address the issue of roadside refuse dumps to prevent potential epidemics. Residents in flooded communities expressed concern over the recurring disruption to economic and commercial activities, calling for intensified drainage maintenance and stricter enforcement of environmental sanitation laws. The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, appealed for calm, stating that the flooding was a result of the heavy rainfall.

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The blocked drainage channels worsened the flooding situation. The entire road is submerged, no movement. The drainage channel is not functional here.