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Two Missing As Flood Wreaks Havoc In Lagos

Three persons have been rescued with two others missing as flood wreaked havoc on a community in the Orile Agege area of Lagos State.


The scene of the flood in Agege area of Lagos State.
The scene of the flood in Agege area of Lagos State.

 

Three persons have been rescued with two others missing as flood wreaked havoc on a community in the Orile Agege area of Lagos State.

Channels Television gathered that the victims were caught up in a severe flood on Oyatoki Street in the nation’s commercial centre.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the incident on Saturday, saying that while three were rescued, one of them jumped out of the vehicle and was pulled to safety while the two others were pulled from the waters.

The Southwest Coordinator NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, explained that four of the victims have been rescued, while two are still missing.

READ ALSO: Flooding: Lagos Govt To Divert Traffic In Ogba For Installation Of Concrete Culvert

Rescuers from both the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and those from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) as well as those from the fire service were still searching for the two missing persons at the time of this report.

All six were travelling in a Lexus jeep and a Toyota car which were overwhelmed by the overflow of an uncompleted canal in the area.

According to members of the community, they were able to rescue the three people because they knew the terrain.

Residents said they had warned them not to pass through the road but they were adamant about continuing their journey.

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations are ongoing for the other two people.

Lagos is prone to flooding, especially during the rainy season which typically starts in April and ends in July, sometimes extending towards the end of the year before harmattan.

Recently, roads and houses were flooded and property was destroyed in Lagos after a downpour that lasted for hours.

The rain witnessed in many areas of the state caught many residents and passengers unaware as they ran to shelter stands to avoid being soaked.

Areas such as Ojodu Berger, Ikosi-Ketu, Gbagada, Surulere, Ikorodu and others witnessed the rain.

As part of measures to contain the situation, the Lagos State Government announced the diversion of traffic along Oba Ogunji Road, Ogba for one week for the installation of a precast concrete culvert across Metal Box Road.

The diversion which started on June 28 ended on July 5 to provide lasting solutions to the flooding issues on some roads in the metropolis.