Residents and motorists in Lagos were on Sunday faced with heavy downpours which left several parts of the state submerged in flash floods.
The rainfall that started yesterday afternoon lasted for hours with its aftermath leaving several vehicles trapped along the road and houses submerged with water.
Series of videos shared on X showed streets and roads flooded with brackish water.
The flood, in some areas like Mushin, Onipanu, littered the road and streets with heaps of wastes.
A motorist who was caught up in the rain yesterday recounted seeing several Mercedes Benz and other vehicles parked by the roadside as the flood engulfed the stretch of Lagos-Ikorodu Road.
The motorist, simply identified by her X handle as Moore, blamed roadside sellers for the flood as she disclosed that their dumping of wastes in the drainage clogged the waterway, leading to heavily flooded road.
“I was so early into that Ikorodu road flood yesterday, I quickly maneuvered my way into ilupeju where I saw line up of Mercedes Benz all parked.
“I turned around inward town planning towards Onipanu, that was how I escaped that Ikorodu road flooding stress.
“At Kayode Onipanu , I saw flood layered with heap of waste caused mostly by roadside vendors. Lagos people, stop selling by the roadside, you’re causing traffic and also clogging the gutters!
“By the time I joined Ikorodu road from Onipanu, not a single car on the highway, every human driving from Anthony, Obanikoro were stuck behind.” Moore wrote.
Meanwhile, another X user, Emmanuel Duru, urged motorists to avoid driving through the flood.
Attached to Duru’s post was a reshared video of a flooded street in Ikeja, Lagos capital city, recorded by another X user, The Mechanic, who disclosed that three vehicles broke down along the flooded road.
“If the water is up to your exhaust pipe, park. Don’t try to push through. If your engine cuts off in flood water, don’t restart it.
“Towing is cheaper than a new engine. Don’t drive into water if you can’t see how deep it is. A hidden pothole could trap your car.” Duru wrote.
Other clips showed some shop owners scooping water out of their flooded stores.
While the Lagos State Government had earlier in the month alerted residents of possible flooding, the government equally warned against activities that may block free flow of water.
Prior to the heavy flood yesterday, the state’s commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, embarked on inspection tour of critical drainage infrastructures in Lekki, Agungi, Ikota and Ajiran areas of the state.
Wahab in a post shared on his X handle disclosed the deliberate blockage of an outfall channel by a land owning family at Ajiran.
The commissioner ordered immediate reopening of the waterway as he warned against obstruction of public drainage infrastructure.
“At Ajiran, we discovered that a land owning family deliberately blocked the outfall channel that was specifically designed to discharge stormwater by gravity into the Lagos Lagoon.
“I have directed that the outlet be reopened immediately in the overriding public interest. Let me state clearly: no individual or family has the right to obstruct natural watercourses or public drainage infrastructure regardless of their land titles.
“We are not taking anyone’s land. We are simply restoring the channel to allow water to flow freely and protect thousands of residents from avoidable flooding.” Wahab wrote.
The commissioner disclosed the discovery of illegal structures on reclaimed drainage alignments by some estate developers along Ikota River which he ordered to be removed by Monday.
“At Megamond Estate in Ikota, we found that developers had illegally reclaimed part of the Ikota River and commenced construction without obtaining the necessary environmental and drainage approvals. Enforcement and abatement notices had been served previously but were ignored.
“From tomorrow morning, all illegal structures erected on reclaimed drainage alignments without approval in that estate will be removed.” He said.
Wahab reiterated that any development involving wetlands must obtain an Environmental Impact Assessment and Wetland Clearance from the Ministry before any reclamation or construction begins as maintained that encroachment on drainage channels will into be tolerated.
“This action sends a clear message that Lagos will not tolerate encroachment on drainage channels or public infrastructure.
“We do not care whose ox is gored. It is unfair to law abiding residents and unacceptable because it compromises public safety.” He added.