Floods leave scores homeless in Lagos

2011-07-11 19:02

Lagos - Two days of heavy rains left scores homeless and led to traffic nightmares due to submerged roads on Monday in one of Africa's largest cities, officials in Nigeria's commercial capital of Lagos said.

"The situation is disturbing as scores of people have been forced out of their homes," national emergency management agency official Tunde Adebiyi told AFP.

Residents reported at least one person killed when he was swept away in the rains, but there was no official confirmation.

Numerous roads and highways were flooded following the heavy downpour which started on Sunday morning and continued on Monday in Lagos, a city of about 15 million people which rivals Cairo as Africa's largest.

Large numbers of people live in haphazardly constructed slums in the overcrowded city. Families could be seen rushing to clear water from the inside of their homes and removing personal items.

The city's notoriously gridlocked traffic was made far worse, with journeys that usually take half an hour stretched to two hours or more. The government advised those able to work from home to do so.

"Many vehicles have broken down and scores of people have to wade through the water to their destination," said Adebiyi.

Hakeem Bello, a spokesperson for the Lagos state governor, told AFP school children had been ordered home.

Flooding occurs each rainy season in Nigeria, though emergency officials have warned of particularly intense rains this year. The rainy season typically runs from around April to September.

- AFP