Fear gripped residents of Ado-Ekiti on Monday as floodwater swept through several parts of the Ekiti State capital, leaving at least three people feared dead and disrupting movement for hours.
The downpour, which lasted several hours, overwhelmed roads and drainage channels in different parts of the city, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles and leaving many residents to make their way home on foot.
Among the areas badly affected were the Adehun-Ayemi section of Adebayo Road, Elemi Bridge on Afao Road, Olorunsogo/Olorunda, Opopogboro-Housing, Ilawe-Ekiti Road, Ilupeju Avenue and Iyana Emerin.
Reports from the affected areas indicated that two persons, including a man identified as Ibrahim, were swept away around Adehun Road, while another victim was reportedly carried away by floodwater around Elemi Bridge. The police had not confirmed the deaths as of Tuesday.
The severity of the flooding forced some workers and commuters to seek temporary refuge, while others abandoned their vehicles.
A staff member of Ekiti State University, Lanre Adesuyi, said he left his car on the road around 7pm and trekked home before returning in the early hours of Tuesday to recover it.
Describing the situation as alarming, public affairs analyst Elder Ayo Arogundade said the flooding had once again exposed the difficulty of moving around Ado-Ekiti during heavy rainfall. He said some routes linking the capital to Afao and Iworoko had become difficult to access.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Erelu Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, urged residents to stay away from fast-moving floodwater, drainage channels and other hazardous areas.
She also advised motorists and motorcycle operators to limit movement during heavy rainfall and warned against dumping refuse in drainage channels.
The Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the state government had invested over N1.18bn between 2023 and 2026 in measures aimed at controlling flooding, including drainage and waterway rehabilitation.
He said the government had also intensified public awareness based on weather forecasts, while appealing to residents to exercise caution as heavy rains continue.
