Downpour causes traffic gridlock in Lagos

News Agency Of Nigeria

May 20, 2019 6:02 PM

The rain storm in Lagos on Monday resulted in many residents and motorists counting their losses as it caused traffic gridlock and wreaked havoc in many areas, damaging communication masts, electric poles and other infrastructure.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the heavy downpour resulted in many roads being flooded occasioning traffic gridlock.

Major roads in Ikeja, Maryland, Ketu, Lagos Ibadan expressway experienced traffic gridlock and some were completely blocked as a result of collapse of communication masts and electric poles.

At Maryland, Ikeja, there was traffic gridlock because of flood leaving many commuters stranded at nearby bus stops.

The situation was similar on the Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way in Ikeja, as motorists groaned due to the long hours in traffic gridlock.

The 7up Oregun Road was completely blocked due to the collapse of a communication mast and an electric pole, which made the road impassable.

Commuters, who spoke with NAN decried the poor emergency response to situations like this, adding that quick emergency response would have salvaged the situation.

Mr Ademola Ogunmokun, a commuter, told NAN that the Lagos State Emergency Response Agency (LASERA) might have been overwhelmed by the situation.

“I think the LASERA officials are up to the task only that the rains would have been experienced in all parts of Lagos.

“To prevent this, we need to have the men of the agency moved to the areas suspected to be prone to such emergency cases.

“We need more personnel for situations like this, or maybe people should volunteer more for emergency situations because that is what is obtainable in advanced countries,” he said.

Also, Mrs Titilayo Nelson, a resident of one of the blocked streets on Oregun road, Ikeja, said that it was taking too long for the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to remove the damaged electric pole.

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“There is a poor emergency response in this part of the world, when the rain stopped around 11 a.m, we put a call through to the IKEDC, to remove the collapsed pole.

“Up till now about 2p.m., they are yet to respond as you can see. They need not wait till we start experiencing casualty before they move in.

“Rain is a blessing from God and this is even mild in what other countries have experienced or experiencing, we just need to brace up,” she said.

News Agency Of Nigeria