ASSESSMENT OF FLOOD VULNERABILITY CHARACTERISTIC OF STREAMS AND URBANIZED RIVER BASINS IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The catastrophic impact of the flood has led to the loss of both human life and valuable assets. The effect of flooding in urban centres is even more severe. The aim of this study is centred on identification of communities vulnerable to flooding in urbanized river basins in Obio/Akpor LGA. The result indicates that the stress placed on the various river basins in most part of the study area due to urbanization which has resulted to intermittent flooding. This study utilized GIS/Remote sensing techniques in producing the flood risk maps and identifying the various river basin in the study area while revealing the communities that are most vulnerable to flooding within the study area. The results of the flood risk map shows that areas around Rukpokwu, Eneka, Rumudumaya, Rumuola have very high risk of being flooded with a percentile of 24.60 % while areas around Iriebe, Atali, Rumuduru, and Eligmbu have high risk with a 21.36 %, other areas such as Choba, Ozuoba, Rumuologu, Rumuosi, Alakahia, Nkpolu, Rumudara, and Eliozu will be moderately flooded with percentile of 21.08%. However, areas around Rumueme, Rumueprikon, Mgbuogba, Iwofe, Egbelu and Rumuorolu have low susceptibility to flooding with 19.50% probability of flood risk and areas around Diobu, Rumomasi, Oginigba, Mgbuodiaha, Mgbuosimini, Rumuolumeni have lower risk of being flooded with a percentage value of 13.45% in the occurrence of one. Amongst the recommendations made, it is pertinent for development to be decentralized, this will help to reduce the stressed placed on the river basins and aid in flood management.