Floods Wreak Havoc In Lagos

One person drowned on Wednesday after a downpour, which started in the early hours of Wednesday resulting in flooding in Idimu and various parts of the metropolis.
PUNCH METRO learnt that the 30- year-old victim who was identified simply as Kabiru, drowned while trying to salvage a motorcycle from an overflowing gutter.

A witness, who identified herself simply as Franka, said a man’s motorcycle got stuck in the gutter located at Alhaja Bus Stop, Idimu and Kabiru, who was nearby tried to assist the man in salvaging his bike when he slipped, fell in and drowned in the process.

The witness said, “Around 1:30pm, an Okada rider was trying to salvage his bike which was trapped in a flooded gutter. After failing repeatedly to get the bike out, Kabiru, a bus conductor attempted to help the man. “While struggling with the motorcycle, Kabiru slipped, hit his head on the edge of the gutter and fell. He drowned in the process and his body was found at a nearby canal.” She added that co-incidentally, Kabiru’s corpse was found near his parent’s home.

PUNCH METRO gathered that the residents could not recover Kabiru’s corpse until men of the Lagos State Fire Service came hours later to retrieve it.

When our correspondent called the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, he said he was unaware of the incident and was not able to confirm to us as at press time.

Meanwhile, the downpour in major parts the state and some parts of Ogun State put traffic and commercial activities on hold for several hours. The rain, which began around 8am, lasted for about seven hours, causing traffic jams on major Lagos highways, including the Third Mainland Bridge; Ikeja; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway; Oworonshoki; Ojota end of Lagos-Ikorodu Road in Lagos State, and Isheri, Kara, Magboro and Ibafo in Ogun State.

One of our correspondents, who went round the metropolis, observed that many vehicles broke down in the floods around Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge. The development made the journey between Lagos Island and the mainland to last more than two hours. A commuter in Oworonshoki attributed the floods to blocked drainage system caused by dumping of refuse in the gutters.

A trader, who craved anonymity, said the heavy rain prevented him from selling his goods.“What can one sell in few hours left in the day? The rain stopped us from selling. Our customers could not come for meat. It has to be sold today as it will spoil. We can’t eat everything; we have to sell it,” he said.

SOURCE: PUNCH

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