Several communities in Lagos State were flooded on Tuesday after hours of heavy rainfall submerged homes and roads, disrupted movement and caused power outages in parts of the state after key electricity facilities were affected.
Videos from different parts of Lagos showed flooded streets in FESTAC, Gbagada, Evans, Olushi, Anikantamo and Adeniji Adele on Lagos Island. Residents were seen walking through floodwaters while motorists struggled to drive through submerged roads.
In Ikeja, floodwaters entered homes and shops, forcing some residents to temporarily leave their houses as the situation worsened.
The flooding, which residents blamed on blocked drainage channels and poor drainage infrastructure, left many roads covered in knee-deep water.
A resident, Abidemi Raji, said the design of the roads contributed to the flooding.
"The road construction is part of the problem. There is a drainage channel, but after heavy rainfall, it takes between 30 minutes and one hour before the water goes down because of the large volume of water," he said.
Raji also claimed that a drainage channel linking the area to another street was blocked after a hotel was built.
"There was supposed to be a passage for water to flow into the next street, but it was blocked when the hotel was constructed. That has made the flooding worse," he added.
The heavy rain also flooded several streets in the FESTAC area of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, leaving residents and motorists stranded.
A resident, Okeke Mmesoma, described the flooding as a recurring problem.
"Whenever it rains heavily, this place gets flooded. It is usually after the rain stops that the water begins to recede. My shoes were soaked on my way to work this morning," she said.
She noted that many motorists avoided the flooded roads to prevent their vehicles from breaking down, while some commuters stayed away altogether.
Flooding was also reported in Ajah, as well as parts of Lagos Island, including Adeniji Adele, Evans, Olushi and Anikantamo.
The downpour also affected electricity supply after floodwaters damaged equipment at the Oworo 132/33kV Transmission Station.
In a notice, Ikeja Electric said severe flooding at the station affected two power transformers and several 33kV feeders.
The affected feeders supply electricity to areas including Ladilak, Bariga, Araromi, Oworo, Pedro, GTB, Alapere, Agboyi, Araba, Hospital and Gbagada.
The company said it was working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to restore power once repairs were completed.
The heavy rain also caused flooding in neighbouring Ogun State, where residents of Gloryland Estate in Ibafo appealed to the state government for urgent intervention.
Residents said the flooding had damaged buildings, disrupted movement and forced some families to temporarily leave their homes during the rainy season.
A member of the Community Development Association, Oladipupo Awoyemi, blamed the situation on blocked drainage channels connected to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
"Whenever it rains continuously for two or three days, the whole community becomes flooded. We have reported the blocked drainage channels several times, but nothing has been done," he said.
Awoyemi added that illegal construction and indiscriminate dumping of refuse had worsened the problem by blocking waterways.
He said the yearly flooding had damaged homes, affected businesses and exposed residents to health risks.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the dredging of 28 additional primary drainage channels as part of efforts to improve flood control across the state.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said Tuesday's rainfall was an extreme weather event that overwhelmed drainage systems, causing temporary flooding in Victoria Island, Lekki, Ikeja, Gbagada, Mushin, Mafoluku and several other communities.
He explained that Lagos' coastal location, surrounded by lagoons, rivers and tidal water bodies, naturally slows the discharge of stormwater into the sea during high tide, making temporary flooding likely after heavy rainfall.
Wahab assured residents that the government was monitoring flood-prone areas and that emergency response teams had been deployed to affected communities.
He also urged residents to stop dumping refuse into drainage channels, avoid reclaiming wetlands illegally and refrain from building on drainage paths, warning that such practices contribute to flooding.
The commissioner advised motorists not to drive through flooded roads and urged residents, especially those living in flood-prone areas, to follow weather advisories and safety guidelines.
