Motorists and commuters were left stranded on Monday after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Ikorodu Road axis of Lagos State.
The downpour led to gridlock from Anthony to the Odo-Iyalaro Bridge, as sections of the road became submerged. Some motorists parked their vehicles, waiting for the flood to subside, while many commuters resorted to trekking long distances when traffic came to a standstill.
Flooding triggered by rainfall has remained a recurring challenge in Lagos, often blamed on inadequate drainage systems.
One affected motorist, Edith, faulted poor drainage and claimed the problem worsened after recent road construction in parts of the area.
She said, “The water couldn’t flow through the drainage, so the road became flooded. People even had to abandon their cars because the flood was too much. It almost looked like the vehicles would be submerged. Some bus conductors tried to wade through the water, but it all ended in commotion.”
A commuter identified as Samuel said he was forced to disembark from a bus and trek when it became clear the traffic would not ease soon.
“The conductor told us to come down because there was no movement. LASTMA officers were confused as well and tried to work with the conductors to allow the water to flow,” he added.
Another commuter, Oluwatobi Salami, a student, lamented that the flooding disrupted her journey home from work.
She said, “Because of the traffic, there were no buses at all. I had to trek as the standstill was serious.”
As of press time, traffic congestion persisted along the flooded stretch. Efforts to reach the Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adesina, were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered and a text message had not been replied to.
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This incident comes barely two months after parts of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Agege, and Marina were submerged following a similar downpour, sparking fresh concerns about the state government’s flood control measures.
