10 dead in Lagos floods

LAGOSIANS got a break from the rains yesterday to begin the grim task of counting their losses.

No fewer than 10 people, including a woman with a baby strapped onto her back, died in the floods that ravaged the city and its suburbs after Sunday’s downpour.

The floods destroyed public and private property worth billions of naira. The Lagos-Abeokuta express road caved in, causing great discomfort to motorists.

Governor Babatunde Fashola moved round to see the devastation of homes and streets.

 A resident of Ojodu on the outskirts of Lagos, who identified himself as Opeyemi, described the flood as “unprecedented”. His words: “A house very close to my flat was flooded to the extent that no occupant of the bungalow could step outside as the level of the water rose to the door.” 

 In Yaba, Lagos Mainland, a few metres from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), some residents woke up early with basins to drive out water from their living rooms.

The Hebert Macaulay expressway in Yaba, towards the West African Examination Council (WEAC) offices end, was completely flooded. Motorists drove at snail’s speed, resulting in a massive traffic jam on the four-lane expressway. 

The woman and her baby were on Monday found drowned at Aboru Canal in Alimoso Local Government Area. 

A resident of the community, Mr Adewale Hassan, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the victims were swept into the canal by the floods. 

“I heard some people shouting on Sunday evening but could not come out to ascertain the cause because of the heavy rains. 

“When I came out this morning, I saw people gathered, looking at dead bodies floating in the canal. I counted seven bodies, including that of a woman with a baby strapped to her back. It was indeed a terrible sight,” he said.

Hassan said some of the bodies had been swept to the Aboru end of the canal by the floods.

Another resident, who pleaded for anonymity, corroborated Hassan’s account, saying three of the seven bodies had been removed by residents and had been handed over to the appropriate authorities.

“Yes, we removed three bodies this morning and they were so bad that we could not recognise them or tell where they lived. I guess they must have been swept into the canal from somewhere,” he said, adding:

“We saw the other bodies being moved away to the other end of the canal, but it would be suicidal for anyone to attempt to remove them. It was a bad experience for residents of this area.”

In Badagry, the floods also caused havoc in Itoga, Mosafejo, Aradagun, Oko-Afo, Ilado and Iworo-Ajido communities.

 NAN reports that the divisional police headquarters, public schools and institutions, such as the Nigeria French Language Village, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, as well as bank premises were not spared.

 Two residents of the town – Mr Segun Huntoyan and Mr Wale Kuponu — described the flood as the worst in recent times.

Mr Dele Odebiyi, former Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), who also lives in Badagry, said hundreds of people were rendered homeless while human and vehicular movements were hindered.

A high tension wire that snapped on Sunday night electrocuted a 45-year-old man. Another was killed by a falling communications mast.

Identified simply as Alhaji Lanre, the 45-year old businessman was electrocuted at Okeafa, Isolo on Sunday night when a PHCN cable fell on his Adebiyi St. home.

A resident of the area, Mr Edwin Eboh, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident affected four other residents of No. 4, Adebiyi Street and a commercial cyclist, who was riding past.

Eboh said that the other victims only sustained minor burn injuries and were receiving treatment in hospitals.

At Akinola Oki community Aboru, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), one of the places that Fashola visited on the Lagos- Abeokuta Expressway, residents told reporters that three bodies were recovered from the canal. Others were afloat, they said.

The Vice Chairman of the LCDA, Austin Arogun said the victims got drowned because they could not distinguish between the roads and the drainage channels already covered by floods.

Although no death was recorded in Odejobi Street in the devastating impact of the flood has rendered scores homeless.

A resident and a student at the Air Force Institute, Kaduna who gave her name as Temitope, said her family had been rendered homeless.

“We were in church when the rain started and when we returned home we discovered that the entire place had been flooded.  Initially, we thought we could save the situation but the more we tried the more the flood kept coming,” she said.

“It was so terrible that after a while my parents suggested that we go back to the church and spend the night and when we returned home this morning we discovered that all our property had been damaged”.

Another resident, Mr Chijioke Ugochukwu, was so emotional about the situation. “I don’t know where to go from here; I have lost almost everything I have, I could only retrieve the clothes that I hanged before I left for church. If I had known that the rain would fall the whole day, I wouldn’t have gone out,” he said.

Fashola sympathised with those who lost their loved ones and property to the floods.

He warned that the government would immediately begin the enforcement of environment laws.

Said the Governor: “Those who are in building that we have marked as structurally unstable or those who built on canals should leave the building immediately because we are coming to take possession. We are not going to risk human lives anymore.”

“My sympathy goes to the people affected in the flood. I condole with people who lost children or property; they should know I’m with them; I will be making an appeal to the President to help with fund to relocate and resettle flood victims. 

“I will also write to the Federal Government on the failed portion of Abeokuta Expressway. We hope the Federal Government would respond because we have virtually lost that road and traffic will be terrible.”

Armed robbers had a field day on the Oshodi/Apapa Expressway attacking drivers and commuters trapped in the flood.

Lagos police spokesman Sam Jinadu said policemen had been deployed in the area to check the hoodlums.

At Achakapo Street, Ajegunle building collapsed, but nobody died. It was many Ajegunle residents affected by the flood have relocated to a local authority primary school in the area. Many were moving out of the area to an unknown destination. 

The city was unusually quiet yesterday, with public schools closing down.

The rains continued early yesterday.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday described the flood the most devastating this year. 

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