Houses submerged as flood destroys goods in Lagos

Residents of Lagos, Friday, counted their losses as streets were flooded once again, owing to heavy downpour that almost crippled commercial activities.

Houses in Ajegunle, Ojo, Satellite town, Victoria Island were submerged as commuters wade through buses knee-high in floods in affluent neighbourhoods of Ikoyi and Ikeja, the state’s capital, which led to gridlock and forced many to seek alternative routes.

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Those whose houses were taken over by flood in Badia-Ijora, Amukoko, Ojo and Ajangbadi also had their properties destroyed.

Jimoh Sikiru, who resides at Aiyenero Street in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, said the flood took over part of the houses.

He said those who reside in the “Boys quarter” had their beds and chairs soaked.

“We have been bailing water out of the compound since morning. Those of us in the main compound helped those at the backyard to bail water which took over inside of the perimeter fence,” he said.

It was a tale of woes at the largest electronics market in Nigeria, Alaba International Market, which was taken over by flood.

One of the dealers at the market, Delanwa Badmus said goods worth millions of naira were destroyed as a result of the flood.

The Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the South-West Region, Ibrahim Farinloye, however said no life was lost as a result of the flood.

The state was flooded mid-July, paralyzing economic activities in the commercial nerve centre of the country. The total economic losses due to flooding across the state have been estimated at $4bn per year.