Osun communities flooded as damaged bridge cuts off Ijaaregbe

Heavy rainfall has flooded communities across Osun State, damaging the bridge linking Ijaaregbe with Ilesa and disrupting movement between the town and the state capital. Residents have urged the government to act quickly to prevent further losses. The flooding followed intense rain between Friday and Monday.

Affected areas included parts of the Osogbo metropolis such as Ayekale, Famson Area, Oke Baale, Sasa and Ilesa Garage. Muroko Road in Ilesa was also flooded after the Ora River overflowed, while communities including Ijana, Ibala, Ayegunle, Idooko and Eesun Ijesa reported conditions that impeded the movement of goods and services. Residents of Ayekale, Akin Olugbodi and Shekinat Olaegbe, told The PUNCH they had lost property after heavy rain on Friday.

Olaegbe said many houses had been flooded because a water channel in the area was blocked, leaving residents worried about further rainfall. The Olomu of Ijaaregbe, Oba Edward Adetimo, said the bridge collapsed after a heavy downpour at midnight. He said the local assembly member for Obokun State Constituency and others visited on Monday to assess the damage, with officials expected to provide a temporary repair before reconstruction.

The monarch said children who attend school in Ilesa were unable to travel there. He appealed to the state government to provide urgent assistance to the affected community. Osun Commissioner for Environment Mayowa Adejoorin said flooding was a seasonal consequence of heavy and continuous rainfall, but maintained that conditions in the state had not become uncontrollable.

He said the government had dredged waterways and conducted awareness campaigns against dumping waste along them. Adejoorin said the damaged bridge and box culvert were primarily the responsibility of the Ministry of Works, which he said had begun taking action.