1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Floods are major disasters affecting many countries of the world annually especially in most flood plain areas. Floods do not only damage properties and endanger the lives of human and animals but also produce other secondary effects like outbreak of diseases such as cholera and malaria as well. Flooding is commonly caused by heavy downpours of rains on flat ground, reservoir failure, volcano, melting of snow and or glaciers e.t.c. Flood risk is not just based on history, but on a number of factors: rainfall, river flow and tidal-surge data, topography, flood control measures, and changes due to construction of building and development on flood plain areas.
Flooding is caused by several factors and is invariably preceded by heavy rainfall. The other causes of flooding are moderate to severe winds over water, unusual hightides, tsunamis due to undersea earthquakes, breaks or failures of dams, levees, retention ponds or lakes, and other infrastructure that retains water. Flooding can be aggravated by impervious surfaces or by other natural and man-made hazards which destroy soil, vegetation that can absorb rainfall. Although flooding is a natural occurrence, man-made changes to the land can also be a factor. Development does not cause flooding but can make it worse. In cities and suburbs, pavement and rooftops prevent some rainfall from being absorbed by the soil. Thus can increase the amount of runoff flowing into low lying areas or storm drain system.
The significance of the year 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria lies in the fact that they were unprecedented in the past forty years. Most parts of the central states of Nigeria and other adjoining states along the river Niger and Benue are devastated by these floods causing huge destruction to the rural and urban infrastructures (farmlands/crops, roads, buildings, damages, bridges, power lines e.t.c) and socioeconomic lives of the areas. Floods occur when the soil, stream channels and man-made reservoirs cannot absorb or contain all the water. A flood that occurs suddenly with little or no prior signs, is called a flash flood and is due to intense rainfall over a relatively small area, it us inevitable resulting from the natural rainfall runoff process. It is a natural phenomenon and its magnitude is periodic. The periodicity of flood implies that every year some area surrounding the river (on both sides) is flooded.
Flood disaster management like other disasters management can be grouped into phases; the preparedness phase where activities such as prediction and rusk zone identification or vulnerable mapping are taken up long before the event occurs, the prevention phase where activities such as forecasting early warning, monitoring and preparation of contingency plan are made before or during the event, and the response and mitigation phase where activities are undertaken after the disaster and these includes damage assessment and relief management (Van Western et al., 1993).
1.2 Statement of Problems
In the last three decades, the impacts of flooding have increasingly assumed from significant to threatening proportions, resulting in loss of lives and properties. Though detailed statistics are not available regarding the losses sustained by the urban dwellers and flood victims, it is obvious from the available record that irreparable havocs have been sustained by the citizen of Nigeria due to what has become perennial natural disaster in our cities.
Apart from houses that collapse by flooding, schools buildings and bridges sometimes collapse as well. Markets places and farmlands are submerged for weeks and sometimes are washed away. Hence flooding in Nigeria needs to be assessed.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to study the Causes, Effects and Solution Flooding in Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To examine the impact of poor drainage system and floods control;
- To identify the causes of flood in the study area;
- To examine the intensity and frequency of floods;
- To determine the relationship between poor drainage system and floods control;
- To proffer solution to the causes of flood in the area under study.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- What is flooding?
- What is the intensity and frequency of floods?
- What is the impact of poor drainage system and floods control?
- What are the causes of flood in the study area?
- What are the detrimental effects of flooding in Nigeria?
- What are the ways to proffer solution to flooding in Nigeria?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Poor drainage system has no significant impact on floods control in the study area
- H1: Poor drainage system has a significant impact on floods control in the study area
1.7 Significance of Study
The research gives a clear insight into the causes, effects and solution to flooding in Nigeria. The research will help to identify the areas that are prone to flood. It will also help to know the ways to mitigate the effect of flooding.
1.8 Scope of the Study
The scope of this research is focused on the causes effects and solution to flooding in Nigeria.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research Material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
- Impact: the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another
- Poor: of a low or inferior standard or quality.
- Drainage system: Drainage systems are constructed to ensure that waste water and sewage is transported neatly to disposal points, thereby keeping the environment well drained and free of waste.
- Floods control: Flood control refers to all methods used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters.
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