Many vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles were on Monday, July 1, 2019 submerged in flood at Mushin, Agege Motor Road, Lagos, following an early morning downpour.
The heavy flood stretched from the popular Ojuwoye Market to Idi-Oro and to Moshalashi bus-stop.
Due to the downpour, several vehicles, commercial buses, tricycles and motorcycles broke down in the flood.
Consequently, there was gridlock as drivers and riders diverted and faced one-way route.
Mr Isaac Adekunle, a commercial bus driver plying the Mushin-Ojuelegba route, who barely made it out of the flood, said the flood was aggravated by residents who used the rains as an avenue to dispose refuse.
“The rain was not so heavy to create this much flood. This is my route, and I know that people around here used the opportunity to dispose their refuse on the road when it rains.
“All the drainage systems are blocked; the water cannot flow well; and that is why we are experiencing this,” he said.
Atinuke Ojo, a pedestrian, narrated how a popular commercial motorcyclist “Gokada’’ with a passenger fell into the gutter because the flood had concealed the gutter, making it difficult for people to notice the demarcation.
“I was not able to cross the road because the water reached the far above knee length and I couldn’t differentiate the gutter from the road.
“Unfortunately for the motorcyclist, he fell inside the gutter with his bike and his passenger,” Ojo said.
Mrs Adesola Adedoyin, a petty trader whose shop was affected, urged the Lagos State Government to intervene by ensuring the drains are properly evacuated.
“Our drainage systems are blocked with refuse and that is why even with little rain, we always experience flood.
“We are pleading with Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to do something quickly so that our lives and property will be safe,” Adedoyin said.
The rain which started at 7 a.m. was still torrential as at 2 p.m. in some parts of the Lagos metropolis.
By Adebola Adegoke and Emmanuel Esekumuemu
