Heavy rainfall on Monday disrupted movement across parts of Lagos State, leaving many commuters stranded and causing transport fares to rise sharply.
Residents said the downpour flooded several roads, slowed business activities and made commuting difficult in many areas of the state.
Some commuters described the rainfall as one of the heaviest recorded in recent weeks.
They said the situation led to gridlock, overcrowded buses and long delays on major routes.
For many workers, the journey to their offices became a struggle through flooded streets and traffic congestion.
A resident of the Alimosho axis, Mrs Odion Okiade, said transport costs usually increase whenever it rains in Lagos.
According to her, Monday’s rainfall caused her transport fare to rise by at least N1,500.
She said the recurring fare increases had added to the financial pressure on residents already dealing with high living costs.
Another commuter, Mrs Nkiru Ogbonna, who travelled from Costain, said she had to walk through knee-deep floodwater to reach her office.
She described the experience as stressful and said it had become a regular challenge during heavy rainfall.
Mrs Chineme Onuoha, who came from the Cele axis, said traffic around Orile delayed her journey to Costain.
She said a trip that should have taken only a few minutes lasted about 25 minutes because of the rain and traffic congestion.
Another commuter, identified as Mrs Lilian, said flooding and gridlock made her journey to work especially difficult.
According to her, it took about 45 minutes to get to Costain from Orile.
She said the delay would affect her productivity at work, adding that she arrived soaked despite wearing a raincoat.
Mrs Deborah, a resident of Ayobo near the river bordering Ogun State, said rainfall often disrupts movement in her community.
She said the river usually rises whenever it rains heavily, making access difficult for residents who still need to go to work or attend to daily activities.
She appealed for stronger measures to reduce flooding in vulnerable communities during the rainy season.
At Fantasy Island on the outskirts of Sango near Agbado, Mrs Oluchi Uzoma blamed persistent flooding on poor waste disposal.
She said floodwater had cut off some communities, damaged roads and affected businesses in the area.
According to her, many roads have become difficult to use because erosion has created deep potholes filled with water.
She warned that motorists and pedestrians risk accidents if they move through the area during heavy rain.
Uzoma said many residents now stay indoors whenever it rains heavily, while businesses that rely on customer movement suffer low patronage.
She attributed the flooding to blocked drainage channels filled with refuse and sand.
She urged residents to stop dumping waste on roads and inside gutters, saying poor sanitation worsens flooding during rainfall.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency advised residents to remain alert as rain and thunderstorms were expected to continue across Lagos and other parts of southern Nigeria.
NiMet warned that strong winds could occur before thunderstorms.
The agency also urged motorists to drive carefully because wet roads could become slippery and visibility could reduce during rainfall.
Residents were advised to avoid flooded roads, drainage channels, trees and power lines during thunderstorms.
The warning comes as Lagos continues to experience repeated flooding, traffic disruption and transport fare increases during the rainy season.
