Gridlock as flash floods take over Lagos roads, paralyse business activities

…Motorists groan arsenic rehab works resume connected the Ifako-Ijaiye Link Bridge

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Motorists and residents crossed Lagos connected Tuesday were trapped successful dense gridlock aft respective hours of aboriginal greeting downpour successful large parts of the Lagos metropolis.

The flooding brought commercialized and different concern activities to a impermanent halt, portion respective vehicles broke down connected waterlogged roads, worsening the postulation situation.

Business complexes were seen nether fastener and keys arsenic galore owners stayed-off successful the aboriginal greeting but aboriginal reopened for concern successful the afternoon.

Some motorists who spoke to Vanguard blamed the authorities authorities for not being proactive successful preventive measures. However, astatine astir 2pm, the stormwater had receded, leaving large parts of the areas adust for seamless movement.

Areas severely affected included: Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Alexander Way, Dolphin Estate, Lekki, and Obalende. Others were Funsho Williams Avenue (formerly Western Avenue), Ikorodu Road, Agege, Ikeja, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Maryland, Oworonshoki, Oshodi, Apapa, and Alimosho, among others.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet had earlier predicted wide thunderstorms and rainfall crossed the state from Monday to Wednesday.

In its upwind outlook released connected Sunday, NiMet projected thunderstorms with mean rainfall implicit parts of the bluish and confederate states, including Lagos.

The bureau urged residents to instrumentality information precautions, including avoiding driving during dense rain, portion besides advising farmers not to use fertilisers oregon pesticides conscionable earlier rainfall to forestall nutrient loss.

Also, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, earlier, during the Year 2025 Seasonal Climate Predictions, SCP, and Socio-Economic implications for Lagos State, reassured residents of capable mentation for the rains.

Wahab however, urged residents of low-lying wetland areas to relocate and determination upland successful bid to debar needless nonaccomplishment of lives and property, erstwhile the request arises.

According to him, “It should beryllium noted that the State has enactment successful spot its ain web of upwind stations arsenic good arsenic stream gauge stations to show the upwind and stream levels successful our authorities arsenic good arsenic summation preparedness for upwind and flood related issues.

“The ministry is collaborating with NiMet successful the yearly SCP which has been invaluable arsenic a captious upwind and aboriginal informing instrumentality for farmers, planners, determination makers and operators of the assorted sectors and businesses that are apt to beryllium impacted by the yearly rainfall.”

Motorists lament on Ifako-Ijaiye Link Bridge rehabs

Meanwhile, 5 days aft resumption of rehabilitation works connected Ifako-Ijaiye Link Bridge, gridlock persisted connected Tuesday, amid dense rainfall contempt reappraisal of postulation absorption Strategy by the authorities government.

On Tuesday, determination was a full shutdown arsenic motorists were trapped successful a standstill concern on Ogudu-Ifako Road which led to nationalist outcry. The gridlock which stretched from aged Toll Gate to Ogudu Link Bridge saw motorists stranded portion others turned to alternate routes.

to their destinations successful evident determination to debar being caught successful gridlock.

As of property time, Lagos authorities was yet to respond to the improvement contempt respective messages sent to the State Ministry of Transportation for comment.

The station Gridlock arsenic flash floods instrumentality implicit Lagos roads, paralyse concern activities appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.