FLOOD RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF KATCHA TOWN IN KATCHA LOCAL GOVERNEMNT AREA, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The occurrence of flood events has brought a lot of miseries to man and his environment. Farmers have continued to experience yearly loss of lives, properties and farm land to flood events that are caused by heavy rainfall and discharge of water from River Niger Nigeria. Flooding has been identified as one of the major factors that prevent Africa’s growing population of city dwellers escaping from poverty as well as achieving the United Nations 2020 goal of improving the lives of urban slums dwellers which are being disrupted by flooding. Flood has swept some places in Nigeria in the past and will most likely strike over and over again due to the encroachment of settlements into flood vulnerable areas, which has lead to loss of lives and property there by making people more vulnerable to future flood. This research assessed the flood vulnerability level of Katcha town with a view of proffering mitigation measures that will reduce the risk of flood disaster in the town. Digital elevation Model (DEM) was used to determine the slope configuration of the area and flood vulnerability. Physical observation was also undertaken for field measurement was conducted and satellite Imagery map goggle earth 2012 was used. The Physical characteristics of different areas were examined for the purpose of identifying the high potential risk areas, The research identified the causes of flooding in the study area as lack of adequate planning and information. The findings also revealed that human activities contributed to flooding around the river bank, out of 15,000 of the total population of the study area approximately 4,600 people were living within flood impact area and they are vulnerable to flood . The research recommended that development around river bank of katcha should be discouraged, appropriate public awareness programmes should be implemented while development control unit of the Niger State Ministry of Land, Survey and Housing should delineate the buffer zone around the major rivers in the area.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0  INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Disaster risk and vulnerability assessment is an investigation process or practical activities, is a process of collecting, interpreting and analysis of information on existing risk and their potential for harmful effect on a given organization or society.  It involves the assessment of certain destructive impact on a given society; it is a determination of the probability of destruction and loss in it, human, structural, economic or political loss (Carling and Petts, 1992).

Community disaster risk assessment combines both scientific and empirical data concerning known hazards and other possible threats to the community. Although indigenous knowledge is vital, scientific data is especially important in a situation where the hazards are pending in the community. Various disasters like earthquake, landslides, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, flood and cyclones are natural hazards that kill thousands of people and destroy billions of dollars worthy of property and habitat every year.(Woodinville, 2007).

The rapid growth of the world’s population and its increased concentration often in hazardous environment has escalated both the frequency and severity of natural disaster with the tropical climate and unsustainable land forms; coupled with deforestation, unplanned growth proliferation, non-engineered construction, which makes the disaster prone areas more vulnerable, poor communication, little or no budgetary allocation for disaster prevention are all characteristics typical of developing countries and these countries are most affected by disaster. (Few and Handmer, 2006).

These natural disasters are either of geo-physical origin such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides or climatic origin such as drought, flood, cyclone, locust, and forest fire. Although it may not be visible to control nature and stop the development of natural phenomena, efforts could be made to avoid disasters and alleviate their effects on human lives, infrastructure and property. Risk assessment provides the foundation for the rest of the mitigation planning process. The risk assessment process focuses attention on areas most in need by evaluating which populations and facilities are most vulnerable to natural hazards and to what extent injuries and damage may occur. It tells you what these hazards can do to physical, social, and economic assets, which areas are most vulnerable to damage from these hazards, and the resulting cost damages or cost avoided through future mitigation project (Few and Handmer, 2006).

In addition to befitting planning, risk assessment information also allows emergency management personal to establish early response priorities by identifying potential hazards and vulnerable assets (Smith 1993). The risks faced by urban population is climate change impacts especially in developing societies as acknowledged in various regional assessments, their vulnerability cannot be reliably estimated without a detailed knowledge of local context.

A focus on risk management rather than on disaster event alone reflects a proactive attitude for dealing with potential threats to social and material assets before they are lost. The analysis and lessons learned from prior-expenses of disasters help to define profiles of risk related to people, activities and places and places that share attributes in the face of particular potential sources of loss or damage understanding. The risk related to the ability to define what could happen in the future, given a range of possible alternatives to choose from. Assessment risk based on vulnerability and hazard analysis is a required step for the adoption of adequate and successful disaster reduction policies and measure (Fielding and Burning, 2005).

Disaster risk assessment is a required step for the adoption of adequate and successful disaster reduction policies and measures, it encompasses the likelihood of certain events occurring and the magnitude of their possible consequences as a process, it is generally agreed that it include-:

–     Identifying the nature, location, intensity and probability of a threat.

–     Determining the extent and degree of vulnerabilities and exposure to those threats.

–     Identifying the capacities and resources available to address or manage threats, and

–     Determining acceptable levels of risk.

However flood has been identified as one of the major factors that prevent Africa city dwellers from escaping poverty and stands in the way of United Nation 2010 goal of achieving significant improvement in the lives of urban slum dwellers this is because many African cities lack the infrastructures to withstand extreme weather conditions. Poor urban planning together with other urban governance challenges contributes to making African urban slum dwellers most at risk (Kumer, 2006).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Katcha is faced with frequent flooding; most people in the area are losing their properties, livelihood, farm lands, and buildings and in fact lost of their loves ones. The influx of people and un-coordinated activities of the people aggravate the conversion of the Katcha flood plain for residential, commercial and Agricultural purpose, therefore changed the drainage pattern and net work of the river as it increase the frequently and magnitude of run off for any given intensive rainfall, The means for disposing waste in the study area is the bank of river and through drainage channels. The intensive flood problem in Katcha River over the time is related to the intensity of rainfall and influence of the attribute of river Niger, encroachment of unplanned and uncoordinated development and the growth in activities on the flood plain leading to environmental and health related problems. In view of the above, a research like this will therefore be necessary.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

1.3.1 Aim of the Study

The aim of this study is to assess the flood vulnerability level of Katcha town.

1.3.2 Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of this study are to:

1.    Examine the existing ecological setting and slope analysis of the area.

2.   Examine the human development activities in the area and the level of vulnerability.

disaster and vulnerability level of the people.

3.	Assess the existing drainage system in the area and the bank full regime.
4.	Correlate  the  human  activities  to  the  topographical  setting  and  the  inducement disaster and vulnerability level of the people.	of

1.4 Justification of the Study

Flood being natural or man-made are a threat to mankind  Fielding and Burning (2005)  Between 1963 and 1992, floods killed more people than any other natural disaster River flooding has been increasing annually resulting from loss of lives, property and agricultural produce as well as affecting activities in flooded area, Katcha and its surrounding environment such as Kipo, Tayi, Epogi, Eggan to mention but few have experienced some of it worst flooding in 2010, leading to the sub merging of farm land, loss of lives and destruction of properties. Thus it has become significant for the environmental managers to assess and evaluate the magnitude of the causes.

This project will serve as fundamental procedures for analyzing hazard and its effect on the social and physical characteristics of the community or society as to deal with cause of emergency through the susceptibility and resilience of the community.

At the end of the research work the expected benefit shall include following creative means of realization solution to one of the environmental problems in the study area, Without total relocation on the floodplain with method of, rehabilitation, upgrading and mitigation measures.

The research at the end will give intensity of development and land use on katcha flood planning with effect on the flow river and flood of occurrences as means for emergency preparedness in the risk areas and the town at large, methods on vulnerability assessment to flood and the disaster management would be realized using land use and flood intensity and damage

1.5 Scope and Limitation of the Study

The research scope in concerned with reducing the risk of disaster in flood prone areas, the research work would also involve mapping out vulnerable and prone areas to show places that would be at risk in the event of flood, and predict the occurrence of flood and proffer mitigation measures. But due to time frame for the research and the cost of covering all prone areas the research work is limited to katcha town.

1.6 Description of the Study Area

Katcha local government was created in 1996 by Sani Abaca’s administration; It is located almost at the extreme South of Niger State surrounded by other local government area such as Bida to the north, Kutigi and Enagi to the west and Agaie, Lapai to the west. (Fig 1.2) Katcha town in Katcha local government area of Niger State is situated along the bank the bank of Yaba River which is a tributary to river Niger; it is just about 4km away from bank of River Niger itself, History and tradition have it that Katcha as a village was founded around 16th country with a present population of approximately 15,000 people, National Population commission, projected population (2006) The early settlement was on a spot directly opposite to the then Baptist Missionary School now Bangifu model primary school, The settlement is connected to good atmosphere condition and conducive for human inhabitant as well as its proximity to both Yaba river and river Niger.

According to history, Katcha derive its name from the main pre occupation of the origins which was basket weaving known in Nupe speaking language as Kasa, the same raw materials was used for fishing which later become one of the major occupations of the people.

1.6.1 Socio – Economic Activities

The people of Katcha are predominantly farmers and fishermen, with the help of Yaba River, the activities usually take place throughout the year. Friday is usually the busiest day of the week as it is the day set for marketing activities on this day, many people travel from far and near Katcha such as Kogi, Kaduna, Onitsha, Bida, Minna, Agaie and Lapai among others either by road or by water for the purpose of buying and selling. Yaba River is use for both domestic and agricultural purpose such as drinking, bathing, washing and cooking.

1.6.2 Temperature

The main monthly temperature in katcha local government area ranges between 320 in March and

270 in December. This is a very close range and as such high level, the hot is a regular feature of the local government area. The discomfort is greater with the rising humidity in march-April before the cooling effect of the rains. The main annual rainfall is about 1270-1530mm mainly received over seven to eight months (April-October) of the raining season, which is area of just four months dry season. Katcha is within the southern guinea savannah vegetation belt mosaic of rain forest sobering woodland and grassland.

1.6.3 Vegetation

Here the rainfall and other environmental factors support the Natural Vegetation Consisting of open forest and tall grasses with some undergrowth. The generous establishment of mango a, orange, cashew and forest resources support the Natural Vegetation of the study area.

1.6.4 Soil

The characteristics of soil in the study area bear a close relationship to the geology, Soil here is derived from geological parent material, with up the trophy of Niger River where Katcha is situated are feral soil and stone formations with clay sub-soil.

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