Business and commercial activities were grounded on Wednesday following a 10-hour downpour in many parts of Lagos and Ogun states.
The resulting flooding brought down a two-storey building in the Mushin area of Lagos, grounded vehicular movement on the roads and overwhelmed thousands of residents while pupils could not attend schools in parts of the states.
Though the Lagos State government said the rain lasted for nine hours, in some parts of the state, it started at midnight and did not subside until noon, making it 12 hours.
Such places include Berger, Ikeja, Ogba and in some parts, the rain lasted for 10 hours.
Our correspondents, who visited some affected flooded areas such as Iyana-Oworo, Agege, Ijegun-Isheri Osun, Gbagada and Lagos Island in Lagos State, observed that roads and houses were flooded as a result of long hours of downpour.
Other flooded places in Lagos include Eredo, Bojije, Epe, Sangotedo, Ibeju-Lekki, Awoyaya, Labora, and Abijon.
Kukuruku reporter also visited Atan-Ota, Aseese, Ifo, Sango-Ota, and Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State and observed that major roads were submerged, making them impassable and leaving passengers stranded.
The heavy showers, which began around 12am, were blamed for the collapse of a two-storey building on Cameroon Road in the Mushin area of Lagos, injuring seven people.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that the seven victims were rescued alive from the collapsed structure.
He attributed the collapse of the newly constructed building to the inclement weather.
He said, “Early this morning, seven people were rescued alive from a building in Ewenla, Mushin, that collapsed in the inclement weather.
“Upon arrival of the LRT at the scene of the incident, it was discovered that a newly constructed two-storey building had collapsed. Three females and four males were rescued alive and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“The agency’s search-and-rescue team had searched the rubbles and can confirm that there is no victim underneath the collapsed building. The area has been cordoned off, and operations are still ongoing.”
Due to the unpredictable weather conditions, the LASEMA boss also urged Lagos residents to remain calm and avoid any non-essential travel.
“We are urging the good people of Lagos to remain calm and refrain from any non-essential travel due to the incidence of flash floods across the state,” he added.
Students currently taking exams were affected by the downpour as some schools in White Sand Estate, Isheri-Osun, in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, closed.
The students were advised to stay home due to the hazardous roads.
Kukuruku media reports that White Sand Estate is one of the hardest-hit areas in Lagos, frequently experiencing severe flooding.
Flooding in White Sand Estate is a recurring issue, with the area suffering from poor roads, inadequate drainage systems, and a lack of maintenance.
Wednesday’s downpour once again flooded homes, with water reaching mid-level levels.
Our correspondent observed that many residents were trapped in their apartments, unable even to sit down as their living spaces were submerged.
A parent, identified simply as Atinuke, shared a message from the school with our correspondent, praising the school’s management for their “pragmatic” decision.
The message read, “Good morning, dearest parents, trust your night was splendid. Due to the heavy downpour and a predicted serious rainy weather forecast today, we have decided to close the school and postpone today’s exam. As you can see, almost everywhere is flooded.
“As a school, we prioritise the safety of our geniuses above everything else. Consequently, the school bus will also not operate today. We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience.”
Atinuke called for the state government’s intervention, lamenting that water had flooded her living room, forcing her to remove the furniture.
She said, “The rain has entered my house again; just look at the environment. This is White Sand Estate in Isheri-Osun.”
