The rainfall, which began overnight and continued into Monday evening, affected several parts of the city, leaving homes and business premises flooded and commuters stranded.

Areas affected include Achussa, New GRA, behind Radio Benue, Nyiman, Idye, Naka Road, North Bank, Ankpa Quarters, Tilley Gyado-Terwase Agbadu, Wurukum and Wadata.

Residents of some of the affected communities said the floodwaters entered their homes and destroyed household items and foodstuff.

Several commuters were also forced to abandon their journeys as floodwaters took over roads and streets across parts of the city.

Our correspondent, who monitored the situation, observed that buildings and business premises around ongoing construction sites and areas close to riverbanks were particularly affected by the flooding.

A resident, Frank Tion, attributed the situation partly to blocked drainage channels resulting from ongoing road construction works.

Tion called on the state government to direct contractors handling road projects to immediately open blocked drainage channels to allow rainwater to flow freely.

He said the indiscriminate closure of roads and drainage channels by construction companies had contributed to the flooding experienced in some parts of the city.

Another resident, Theresa Andyson, said the situation could have been worse if not for some of the large drainage systems already constructed by the state government.

Andyson, however, noted that the various construction activities ongoing across Makurdi might also have contributed to the flooding, particularly in areas where drainage channels had been blocked to facilitate construction work.

Meanwhile, the Information Officer of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, Terna Ager, confirmed that the agency had received reports of flooding in Achussa.

Ager, however, said the agency had yet to visit the affected area to assess the extent of the damage.

The floodwaters overwhelmed major roads and communities, leaving motorists stranded and causing gridlock along the Lagos–Ore–Benin corridor, a major route for the movement of passengers, petroleum products and other goods.

In Ondo town, the headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area, several locations, including Itanla Junction, Onipakala Junction and the UNIMED Road axis, were inundated. Vehicles, including those belonging to staff of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), were damaged, while commuters faced major disruptions.

The flooding also affected communities in Odigbo, Irele, Ode-Aye and Igbokoda, where rising water levels forced many residents to flee their homes after houses and business premises were submerged.

Although no deaths were recorded, several families were displaced, with many residents blaming the recurring flooding on prolonged rainfall and blocked drainage channels.

One of the affected travellers, Joshua Oladele, described the experience on the Lagos–Ore–Benin Expressway as frightening, urging the government to take urgent steps to prevent a recurrence.

“Everyone was stranded. No one expected the Lagos–Ore–Benin Highway to be affected by flooding. The government should urgently intervene to prevent this from happening again,” he said.

Residents of the affected communities also appealed to the government and relevant authorities to implement lasting solutions to the recurring flooding threatening lives and property.

Reacting to the incident, the Ondo State Government expressed sympathy with affected residents and acknowledged the extent of the damage caused by the flood.

The Commissioner for Environment, Tob Loko, said the government had already identified several flood-prone areas for intervention, adding that recent reports had revealed more locations requiring urgent attention.

He noted that while it might not be possible to address all affected communities immediately, the government remained committed to tackling the challenge through coordinated and sustained efforts.

Loko also disclosed that amphibious excavators were being deployed through the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical and Ecological Control to carry out emergency clearing and channelisation of waterways.

He urged residents to promptly report flooding incidents and other environmental concerns to the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies to support ongoing mitigation efforts.

Mohammed said the devastating floods recently experienced in Lagos and other states did not come as a surprise, insisting that the agency had earlier predicted the flooding and issued warnings that were not taken seriously.

According to him, NiHSA carried out its flood forecasts using different scientific models before the rains began.

“This is something we foresaw. We saw it coming,” he said.

He warned that if urgent measures are not taken, the flooding could become more severe as the rainy season intensifies.

“As we speak now, with the flooding happening, if nothing is done, this is just the start of the rainy season, sometime around July to September, and it could be worse than what is even happening right now.

“And we’re expecting it to be worse around August and September, particularly August and September,” he said.

The NiHSA boss also raised concerns over the possible impact of flooding on drinking water, warning that water sources in affected communities could become contaminated.

Reacting to the widespread flooding that followed Tuesday’s torrential rainfall in Lagos, Mohammed said the state’s geographical location makes it vulnerable to different types of flooding.

He explained that Lagos is exposed to urban flooding, riverine flooding and coastal flooding because it is a coastal state with a major river system and is located close to the Atlantic Ocean.

According to him, the combination of these three forms of flooding could make the situation more devastating.

Mohammed noted that some parts of Lagos are at or below sea level, making it difficult for floodwaters to drain naturally.

He also blamed blocked and silted drainage systems for worsening the flooding, saying many drains inspected by the agency were already filled with stagnant water even before the peak of the rainy season.

He explained that the flooding currently being experienced in Lagos is being intensified by water flowing from the Ogun River into the state, adding that the riverine flooding is combining with urban flooding to increase the volume of water.

The NiHSA chief warned that if tidal flooding also occurs during periods of heavy rainfall, the situation could become even more severe.

He said the agency expects flooding to continue intermittently from July to September before gradually reducing in October.

According to him, the country may not experience significant relief until around November.

Mohammed also lamented what he described as poor cooperation from state governments, saying many fail to take the agency’s annual flood outlook and early warning reports seriously until flooding occurs.

He urged governments and residents to take precautionary measures, clear drainage channels and pay closer attention to flood forecasts to minimise the impact of the ongoing rainy season.

Punch