Families were left stranded in Nigeria's Osun State after days of heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding, submerging residential areas and forcing residents to flee.

Footage filmed on Thursday showed submerged neighbourhoods, residents bailing water from their homes and families gathered alongside belongings salvaged from their houses.

"The flood came into the house. I was with my three children and a baby. In fact, I screamed for help," flood victim Elizabeth Oluwafemi recounted.

"Some people came around to break my window so that we all could escape through there," she added, appealing to the government for assistance after her family's possessions were damaged.

Another resident, Motunrayo Bakare, explained that the River Osun had overflowed despite her home being some distance away. "Water gushed from under the floor as if there's a water tap flowing from there," she said.

"We were confused. We couldn't salvage any of our properties - all of us who are victims in this vicinity," local Oluwakemi Adebisi described how quickly the water rose after several days of rain.

Others spoke of losing their belongings and being forced to stay elsewhere with their children.

"We've been sleeping around since then, with our children. We need help from the government," flood victim Funmilola Adeyemo appealed.

According to local reports, more than 700 buildings near the River Osun were affected in the state capital, Osogbo, including homes, schools and businesses.

Osun State authorities ordered emergency assessments of affected communities and assistance for displaced families, while announcing plans to improve flood-warning systems and inspect existing flood-control infrastructure.