Lagos Floods Sack Homes As Sanwo-Olu Orders Dredging Of 28 Channels

Heavy rainfall has flooded parts of Lagos, forcing some residents from their homes, slowing traffic and disrupting businesses across several areas of the state.

Vanguard reported that rainfall lasting more than 12 hours submerged property and roads in Lagos, leaving motorists and commuters stranded. The affected areas listed in the report included parts of the Lagos-Oshodi Expressway, Abeokuta Expressway, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Victoria Island, Agege, Ikeja, Oworonsoki, Gbagada and parts of the Lagos Mainland.

Channels Television also reported flash floods in several parts of the city after hours of rain, with many residents left stranded. The outlet said the Lagos State Government appealed for calm after persistent rainfall and flooding across the state.

In a related response, Vanguard and Channels reported that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved the immediate dredging and maintenance of 28 additional primary drainage channels.

The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the rainfalls were an extreme weather event that produced an unusually high volume of water within a short period. He said Lagos faces a complex hydrological system because of its lagoons, tidal water bodies, rivers and creeks.

Wahab said the interaction between the Atlantic Ocean, Lagos Lagoon and other water bodies can slow the discharge of storm water during high tide, leading to temporary flooding in low-lying areas after heavy rainfall.

The government said emergency agencies were monitoring flood-prone locations and drainage infrastructure as residents waited for water levels to recede.

The draft combines the flood impact and the drainage response because both source chains describe the same weather episode and the state government’s immediate reaction to it.

Sources: Vanguard, Channels TV