Effective Management and Control of Urban Flood Disasters in West Africa

Ojo, S. O.; ,

Effective Management and Control of Urban Flood Disasters in West Africa

by S. O. Ojo,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: North American Water and Environment Congress & Destructive Water

Abstract:

This paper begins by examining the characteristics of the impacts of flood disasters in the urban centers of West Africa. The paper then examines some significant examples of individual flood disasters related to rainfall and storm surges. Examples of these individual flood disasters are the Ibadan floods of 1980 and 1987, the Eaganda lake flood in Kano (1982), flood disasters in Lagos (1995), and the Victoria Island storm surge (1995). Examples of the impacts discussed also include inundation and erosion, socio economic impacts such as damages to infrastructures, losses of psychological impacts, and losses of lives and property. The paper also discusses health risks from surface- and ground-water contam ination arising from the impact of flood disasters and thereafter examines strategies or effective management and control of the flood disasters in urban centers of West Africa.

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