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Floods are probably the most recurring, widespread, disastrous and frequent natural hazards of the
world. India is one of the worst flood-affected countries, being second in the world after Bangladesh and
accounts for one fifth of global death count due to floods. Nigeria is not an exception and indeed the
study area as series of flooding have affected inhabitants and disrupted socioeconomic activities. Flood
management and control are necessary not only because floods impose a curse on the society, but the
optimal exploitation of the land and proper management and control of water resources are of vital
importance for bringing prosperity in the predominantly agricultural based economy of this diversely
populated country. This cannot become technically feasible without effective flood hazard maps
(Pradan, 2004)
Flood hazard mapping and flood inundation modeling are the vital components in flood mitigation
measures and land use planning. Advances in geospatial technologies (GPS, Remote sensing and GIS) has
enabled the acquisition of data and analysis of the river basin for flood mitigation projects (either
structural or non-structural) in a faster and more accurate manner. GIS facilitates integration of spatial
and non-spatial geographical data such as rainfall and stream flows. Other information such as flood
maps, infrastructures and land use, social and economic information can be inventorized for future use.
Flood maps prepared using satellite images of real flood events and information from the ground are
useful for flood damage assessment, future flood mitigation planning. Flood vulnerability maps
produced using GIS enabled effective tools for land use planning, flood management and development
control. Therefore, an attempt has been made to apply modern techniques like Geographical
Information System (GIS) for the management of flood in Port Harcourt, the study area, as it has been
proved that the use of Geoinformatics to manage the databases, maps, and photos improves the ease of
the analysis (Wisner et al., 2004; Noson, 2002).
Flooding can also result from inadequate water way at rail and road crossings, or when there are
encroachments in the flood plain. Flooding can also occur at confluences of streams when the main river
is in high stage and backs up into the tributaries and areas there about.
Flood risk is among the most severe risks on human lives and properties, and has become more frequent
and severe along with local economic development. As the watershed becomes more developed, it also
becomes more hydrological active, changing the flood volume, runoff components as well as the origin
of stream flow. In turn, floods that once occurred infrequently during predevelopment periods have
now become more frequent and more severe due to the transformation of the watershed from rural to
urban land uses. The forecast and simulation of floods is therefore essential for planning and operation
of civil protection measures and for early flood warning. The effects of Global warming has also
accelerated the melting of ice, which in turn increased the water level and resulting in the occurrence of
flooding. Flooding causes a lot of damage, which is usually, characterize by loss of properties and even
leaving families homeless.
The 2012 Nigeria floods began in early July 2012, and have killed 363 people and displaced over
2,100,000 people as of 5th November, 2012. From May to September, Nigeria has a rainy season and
suffers from seasonal flash floods. These flash foods are sometimes lethal, especially in the rural areas
or overcrowded slums, where drainage is poor or does not exist at all. On 2 July 2012, many Nigerian
coastal and inland cities experienced heavy rains, and residents of Lagos were "gasping for breath" due
to the flooding. In addition, there was a gridlock on major roads, causing people to cancel or postpone
appointments they may have had. Thousands of stranded commuters had to pay increased fares for the
few bus drivers who were willing to risk travelling on the roads, and construction of work by the
Nigerian government on the inner Oke-Afa Road took a "heavy toll."
In mid-July 2012, flooding in the Ibadan metropolis caused some residents at Challenge, Oke-Ayo, and
Eleyele to flee from their residences and save their lives. The flooding also prevented some Christians
from attending churches in the morning, while a few bridges caved in. In late July 2012, at least 39
people were killed due to flooding in the central Nigerian Plateau state. Heavy rainfall caused the
Lamingo dam to overflow near Jos, sweeping across a number of neighborhoods in Jos, and
approximately 200 homes were submerged or destroyed. In addition, at least 35 people were missing,
while Manasie Phampe, the head of the Red Cross in the state, announced that relief efforts were
ongoing. The floods left 3,000 people homeless, many of whom are taking refugee in government
buildings in Jos. In mid-August, flooding killed at least 33 people in central Nigeria's Plateau state. Over
12,000 people were affected by the flooding in six districts of the state, while hundreds were rendered
homeless (Wikipedia).
Port Harcourt was not an exception, as a heavy rainfall weekend wreaked havoc in Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, destroying property and rendering families homeless (The Vanguard Nigeria). The perennial
flooding has caused a lot of damage and untold hardship to the inhabitants of the study area. The study
therefore seeks to assess the vulnerability of the study area to flooding using Geoinformatics
techniques.
Conversion of existing analogue map to digital format by digitizing (creating spatial database).
Creating a suitable attribute database for the study area.
Link both spatial and attribute database.
To generate buildings in the study area to ascertain those that are vulnerable to flooding.
To produce vulnerability maps of the study area.
To identify the impact which floods will have on the socio-economic livelihoods of the people.
Make recommendations based on the findings.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The recent flooding that occurred in various part of Nigeria makes this research expedient, to allow for
action to prevent such disaster from occurring. The significance of this research work cannot be
overemphasized as it has tremendous importance and positve impact on almost all sectors of the
economy, government departments and the society at large. These significance include;
The research work provides information on the flood vulnerability of infrastructures in the study area.
The work provides satellite derived data of the study area for further studies and research.
The research work increases and add to the knowledge of the study area.
It further exposes and prove the potentiality, accuracy and efficiecy of Geoinformatics as a technology
for the study of flood hazard management.
1.6.2 Climate
Port Harcourt features a tropical monsoon climate with lengthy and heavy rainy seasons and very short
dry seasons. Only the months of December and January truly qualifies as dry season months in the city.
The harmattan, which climatically influences many cities in West Africa, is less pronounced in Port
Harcourt. Port Harcourt's heaviest precipitation occurs during September with an average of 370 mm of
rain. December on average is the driest month of the year, with an average rainfall of 20 mm.
Temperatures throughout the year in the city are relatively constant, showing little variation throughout
the course of the year. Average temperatures are typically between 25C-28C in the city.
1.6.4 Vegetation
The "upland" area was originally occupied by rainforest which has been drastically modified by human
activities. In most places, economic trees, particularly oil palm, have been preserved and thus the
sobriquet for this vegetation as "oil palm bush." The riverine area is divisible into three main hydro-
vegetation zones namely, the beach ridge zone, the saltwater zone and the freshwater zone. The beach
ridge zone is vegetated mainly by fresh water swamp trees, palms and shrubs on the sandy ridges and
mangroves in the intervening valleys or tidal flats. The saltwater zone is the tidal flat or swamps
vegetated by the red stilts rooted mangrove (Flhizophora racemosa) and two other species of mangrove.
The outliers of raised alluvial ground or coastal plain terrace within the swamps are vegetated by tall
forest tree species and oil palm. The freshwater zone is mainly the Upper and Lower Delta floodplains of
the Niger, having fresh water forest trees which are the edaphic variants of the rainforest. The Abura
tree, oil palm, raffia palm, shrubs, lianas, ferns and floating grasses and reeds are the typical vegetation.
1.6.5 Hydrology
Rainfall in Port Harcourt is seasonal, variable, and heavy. Port Harcourt is a city of physical difficulties,
such as low lying terrain riddled with an intricate system of natural water channels; too much surface
water and a high rainfall; uninhabitable mangrove swamps and some parts of the state suffer from
inaccessibility due to seasonal flooding.
These limitations however were overcome by proper digitization of the satellite imagery, giving code
names to roads and rivers were the names were not known and generalizing buildings.
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The Complete Project Material (Chapters 1-5, References and Questionnaires [where applicable])