Commuters and motorists were stranded for several hours on Thursday after flooding submerged a section of the Benin-Ore-Ijebu Ode Expressway in the Ore corridor of Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State.
PUNCH Metro reports that some areas in Ondo town, Odigbo, Irele, Ode-Aye, and Igbokoda also experienced flooding following a downpour which lasted for several hours, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed as vehicles and houses were submerged. However, there was no loss of life in the incident.
According to a resident of Ore, who identified himself simply as Segun, the expressway was totally logjammed, while motorists took the longer Okitipupa-Omotosho route to connect to the expressway.
“The traffic logjam on the expressway was too much today. The road had been taken over by flood, while some motorists who knew another route passed through the Okitipupa-Akinfosile-Omotosho road, which is a very long journey. Some travellers were stranded and were lamenting.”
A driver, Joshua Oladele, described the experience as traumatic and called on the government to intervene urgently
He said, “Everyone was stuck. No one imagined that this highway would be this affected by floods. An urgent intervention is needed before more havoc is wreaked.” Also, residents of the affected communities have appealed to the state government and relevant agencies to address the perennial flooding that wreaks havoc on their communities during the rainy season.
In a reaction to the development, the state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tob Loko, expressed regret over the incident and said necessary action would be taken urgently.
He explained that several flood-prone areas in the state had earlier been identified and mapped for intervention, saying recent videos and photographic evidence had revealed additional locations requiring urgent assessment.
“It may not be possible to reach all affected areas at the same time, but the state government remains committed to addressing the challenge through coordinated, strategic, and sustained efforts,” he said.
The commissioner added that amphibious excavators were being deployed through the Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical and Ecological Control to strategic locations for emergency clearing and channelisation activities.
He appealed to residents to promptly report flooding and environmental concerns to the Ministry of Environment and relevant agencies, calling for cooperation in implementing measures to address the challenge.
Punch
