Heavy rains flood Ondo roads, snarl traffic on Lagos-Ore-Benin corridor

Intense rainfall triggered substantial flooding that engulfed Ondo State, halting movement along the Lagos-Ore-Benin Expressway. This vital transport artery—which links Nigeria's South-West to the South-South and South-East regions—suffered partial submersion within Odigbo Local Government Area.

Gridlock immobilized hundreds of motorists for extended periods, with automobile queues extending several kilometres across the saturated federal roadway. The inundation extended far beyond the expressway corridor into communities statewide.

In Ondo town (seat of Ondo West Local Government Area), floodwaters breached critical junctions: Itanla, Onipakala, and the UNIMED Road area all faced severe flooding, disrupting University of Medical Sciences staff. The surge propagated through Odigbo, Irele, Ode-Aye, and Igbokoda as well, submerging both inhabitants and automobiles.

Widespread destruction of vehicles transpired throughout every affected locality. Devastation to property reached millions of naira in total losses, with structures and possessions swept away by the surging deluge.

Mercifully, no fatalities occurred during the catastrophe. Accounts from witnesses depicted the expressway as completely blocked during peak rainfall, with stranded travelers conveying the distress of their predicament as forward movement proved impossible.

Ondo State's government apparatus initiated emergency response procedures and recognized the scale of the crisis. Mr.

Tob Loko, the state's Commissioner for Environment, pledged that remedial steps would begin without delay to handle the flooding emergency. Excavation equipment was mobilized to restore passage in obstructed areas while drainage rehabilitation and channelization efforts commenced.

Authorities called upon community members to inform officials of additional flooding occurrences to bolster disaster response capabilities.