Floods leave scores homeless in Lagos

Days of heavy rain have left many homeless in Nigeria’s capital Lagos. Scores of people living in haphazardly constructed slums on Monday rushed to salvage personal items.

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“The situation is disturbing as scores of people have been forced out of their homes,” said National Emergency Management Agency official Tunde Adebiyi.

Residents reported that at least one person had died after he was swept away by the water, but there has been no official confirmation of this.

The heavy downpour which started on Sunday and continued into Monday left numerous roads and highways flooded causing traffic to halt to a standstill.

The government advised those able to work from home to do so. “Many vehicles have broken down and scores of people have to wade through the water to their destination,” said Adebiyi.

With around 15 million residents, Lagos is one of Africa’s largest cities. Flooding occurs each rainy season, though emergency officials have warned of particularly intense rains this year.