Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
perties, loss of lives, destruction of agricultural lands and crops, disruption of
socioeconomic activities, environmental disfiguration, inflow into sewage
(causing municipal pollution), it also leaves a long lasting contaminating effect
such as the intrusion of salt water into the soil, surface water and groundwater
reserve. This may pose serious ecological distortion and initiates a new level
of epidemic outbreak, scarcity of potable water and destruction of arable land
for agricultural purposes (leading to shortage of food).
The issue of flood risk can be understood and linked to two major factors-
the flood hazard itself and vulnerability. Flood hazard is a potentially destruct-
tive weather induced physical incident that is characterized by its location,
intensity, frequency and probability (Taubenbock et al., 2011). The second
factor-Vulnerability, represent the system or phenomenon (e.g. people,
specific ecological configuration, land use, urban system, political component
etc.) that is directly or indirectly exposed to the disastrous effect of the natural
hazard. Thus, in an urban center the impact of flooding weighs heavily on the
demographic, physical, social, economic, ecologic and political compositions
of the affected area. Although, flood hazard is climatologically driven, the
drive for increase in productivity, uncontrolled urban sprawl and rapid
population growth in such urban area upsurges the risk and susceptibility.
However, urban flooding is directly and indirectly a function of man's
interaction with the physical environment. Such interaction involves designing
and locating infrastructure, exploring and exploiting natural resources,
concentration of population and urbanization (Hualou, 2011). Indirectly, these
activities have arguably increased flood risk through climate change and
directly through anthropogenic disturbances, obstruction and alteration of
natural flow paths and floodplains.
Since flooding is imminent in urban areas, formulating management
strategy is the primary approach to achieving sustainable development. This is
the case for advanced countries were technological knowledge is high and the
availability of funding to accomplish any set objective and project pertaining
to flood hazard such as hazard preparedness, quick response, awareness and
enlightenment-vital information on flood prone areas and the spatial extent.
This is critical for most developing countries in Africa were hazard
preparedness is not foremost and the existing flood management policies and
strategies (mostly outdated and ill-prepared) are not enforced and executed to
the latter. In most cases, such strategic plans are dedicated and geared towards
compensating flood ravaged communities and dealing with the aftermath.
In these countries, resources (finance, information) for developmental
activities are limited owing to the unstable political system. Perhaps, this
