At least three persons were feared dead while residents, commuters, civil servants, students and lecturers were stranded for several hours on Monday following torrential rainfall that triggered flooding across Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The downpour, which began on Sunday and continued for several hours, rendered major roads and adjoining communities impassable, damaged sections of roads and bridges and forced many motorists to abandon their vehicles and trek several kilometres home.

The worst-hit areas included Olorunsogo/Olorunda, Elemi Bridge along Afao Road, Opopogboro-Housing, Adehun-Ayemi axis of Adebayo Road, Ilawe-Ekiti Road, Ilupeju Avenue and Iyana Emerin, among other parts of the metropolis.

It was gathered that a middle-aged man identified as Ibrahim and another person were reportedly swept away and died around Adehun Road in Adebayo, while a third victim was said to have died around Elemi Bridge along Afao Road on Monday night.

The flooding caused severe disruption to vehicular and human movement, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Some residents who could not navigate the flooded routes sought temporary shelter, while others abandoned their vehicles and trekked home.

A staff member of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Lanre Adesuyi, described the situation as frightening, saying he abandoned his vehicle along the road at about 7 pm on Monday after the flood made further movement impossible.

Adesuyi said he trekked home and returned around 3 am on Tuesday to retrieve his vehicle, lamenting the danger posed by the recurring flooding.

“It was a serious situation yesterday (Monday), and I couldn’t imagine that happening again. It is very sad, and I can say that about two people were swept away along the Ayemi-Adehun road.

“Government should do something urgently, otherwise it would be more devastating in the state capital,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Sunday Abutu, had yet to respond to enquiries on the reported casualties as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a public affairs analyst, Elder Ayo Arogundade, described the flooding as a recurring problem that had repeatedly paralysed movement within the state capital.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, Arogundade said commuters were stranded along the Ado-Iworoko Road after the road became impassable.

He said several roads had also been damaged by the flood, making movement to communities such as Afao and Iworoko increasingly difficult.

“Roads are not motorable because of flooding. Some places have been damaged. To get to Afao has become very difficult, to get to Iworoko has not been easy,” he said.

Arogundade urged the relevant authorities to move beyond temporary interventions and develop a lasting solution to the recurring flooding.

He appealed to the Federal Government, Ekiti State Government and Ado Local Government to urgently repair damaged roads and other infrastructure affected by the flooding.

He also called on emergency management agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to take immediate steps to alleviate the suffering of residents and commuters affected by the disaster.

“The Federal Government, Ekiti State Government and Ado Local Government should do something about it. Emergency departments should take emergency action,” he said.

Reacting to the development, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Erelu Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, sympathised with the families of the reported victims and urged residents to prioritise their safety as the rainy season continues.

Speaking against the backdrop of the flooding in major parts of the state on Tuesday, the commissioner advised motorists, tricycle operators and commercial motorcycle riders to avoid unnecessary movement during heavy rainfall.

She urged road users to reduce their speed, maintain safe distances and avoid roads and areas where floodwater had accumulated.

Aluko-Ajisafe also warned residents against entering flowing water, drainage channels and other potentially dangerous areas during heavy rainfall.

She urged residents to keep their surroundings, gutters and drainage channels clean and free of refuse, noting that indiscriminate dumping of waste could obstruct water channels and worsen flooding.

According to her, the state government had continued to implement measures aimed at reducing the impact of heavy rainfall, including clearing and desilting drainage channels, removing obstructions from waterways, monitoring vulnerable locations and responding to identified environmental hazards.

The commissioner also advised residents to exercise caution around trees and electrical installations and report fallen trees, blocked drainage channels and other environmental hazards to the appropriate authorities.

On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, who addressed protesting residents over the impact of the flooding around the Aayemi-Adehun Road, expressed the government’s sympathy to residents whose properties, businesses and livelihoods were affected.

Olatunbosun said the government had been aware of forecasts of intense rainfall and had commenced sustained public sensitisation following predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

He said the sensitisation was aimed at encouraging residents to monitor weather forecasts, avoid vulnerable areas and take necessary precautions during heavy rainfall.

According to the commissioner, the state government had spent over ₦1.18 billion between 2023 and 2026 on flood-control interventions, including the rehabilitation of waterways and drainage infrastructure across the state.

He said the investments formed part of the government’s broader efforts to address environmental challenges and strengthen the state’s emergency response capacity.

Olatunbosun, however, acknowledged that the intensity of rainfall, rapid movement of stormwater, and other environmental factors could trigger sudden flooding in vulnerable locations despite ongoing preventive measures. (Nigerian Tribune)