Floods brought on by heavy rains have put many people in difficult situations all around the country.
The floods, which wreaked havoc in areas of Lagos, Delta, and Anambra states among others, forced many people from their homes, stole many of their goods, resulted in fatalities, and delayed palliative work that was supposed to start on the Third Mainland Bridge today.
At Papa Ashafa in the Orile Agege neighbourhood of Lagos State yesterday, a commercial motorbike was carried away by a powerful flood in Lagos.
Mr Ibrahim Farinlonye, the South West Zone Coordinator for the National Emergency Management Agency, confirmed the incident and said: “One motorbike rider, simply known as Mr Abe, has swept away after refusing to heed warnings from his colleagues not to ride along the Ile Epo Busstop canals in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos State.”
Postponement
The palliative works on the Third Mainland Bridge’s failed portions, which were supposed to start today, have also been postponed indefinitely, according to the Lagos State administration.
According to reports, yesterday’s downpour, which was felt throughout the city, made the postponement essential.
In a statement, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, detailed how the downpour had an impact on the preliminary stages of the scheduled palliative repairs on the asphalt surface of the bridge by the Lagos State Public repairs Corporation, LPWC.
The announcement stated that “a later date, which will be subject to weather conditions, will be duly communicated for the palliative.”
Floods in the Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State forced locals from their houses.According to reports, the flood was caused by the River Niger overflowing its banks, which led to days of unabated water flow into the hamlet.
According to sources, while some inhabitants have not left the neighbourhood for higher ground, the majority have.
In response to the situation yesterday, Mr. Felix Edemanya, Secretary of the Ndokwa East Local Government Area, said: “We have already warned and advised the populace to take precautions so that they won’t be cut off by the water.
“They ought to leave and protect their stuff. The council won’t want to lose anyone as a result of negligence, so they should relocate to a safer area now that it has occurred.
The situation was dire, requiring victims to rely on canoes for transportation inside the community, President of the Polobubo Blocks of Communities, Mr. Paul Toruwei, told Sunday Vanguard.
Protest
While this was going on, Anambra State’s Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha students demonstrated against the disruption of classes caused by flooding.
Large hundreds of students protested last Thursday, claiming that flooding had shut down both academic and extracurricular activity at the college.
Chigozie Onyenyili, the institution’s president of the student union government, spoke to journalists and expressed his displeasure with the current state of affairs for students, pointing out that their possessions had been destroyed by flooded dormitories, forcing them to stay up all night.
