12 Hours Of Rain Reignites Drainage Crisis As Lagos Calls For Calm

12 Hours Of Rain Reignites Drainage Crisis As Lagos Calls For Calm

Following over 12 hours of unrelenting rainfall, the Lagos State Government has urged residents to remain calm, even as many grapple with flooded streets, waterlogged homes, and submerged vehicles.

The harsh reality for countless Lagosians is a city where heavy rain swiftly translates into chaos, revealing long-standing flaws in its drainage systems.

In a public statement, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, acknowledged that the city’s infrastructure struggles to handle the volume of water generated during torrential downpours.

The major water collectors are frequently overwhelmed, resulting in flash floods across multiple neighborhoods.

As a coastal city increasingly affected by climate change, Lagos is vulnerable to rising water levels in surrounding lagoons and rivers.

This leads to tidal locks, which further prevent water from draining properly and intensify the flooding.

Communities near these water often bear the worst of it, many residents find themselves trapped or forced to navigate dangerous currents.

The misery is compounded for families, especially during school holidays, when children may be tempted to play outside in flooded areas. Wahab urged parents to be extra vigilant to avoid tragic accidents.

The Commissioner also warned of the dangers of driving or walking through deep water, citing risks of vehicle submersion and people being swept away.

He cautioned against the habitual disposal of refuse into storm drains, an act that clogs the already insufficient channels and worsens flooding.

While the government is cleaning existing drains and awarding contracts to reinforce them with concrete linings, residents say they’re still waiting for tangible results.

With every downpour, life in Lagos becomes a struggle of survival, trapped in traffic jams, wading through dirty floodwaters, salvaging soaked belongings, and worrying about waterborne diseases.

Wahab emphasised that coordinated efforts are needed to confront the challenges, but for now, the rain continues, and so does the hardship.