Flood Hazards at Alajo: Causes, Impacts and Adaptations

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VIII, August 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Flood Hazards at Alajo: Causes, Impacts and Adaptations

John Manyimadin Kusimi¹ and Ebenezer Yeboah^2
1,2Dept. of Geography & Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra – Ghana

Abstract – This is a case study on causes, impacts and adaptation to floods, and public institutions’ intervention towards reducing flood risk in the community of Alajo, a proletariat suburb of Accra in Ghana. Field data collection involved in-depth interviews and household heads questionnaire survey. Factors identified to be causing floods in Alajo include improper layout of buildings, improper waste management, lack of good drainage system etc. Flood incidents come with great cost to the community. The cost includes loss of property and human lives. Some of the adaptations and coping measures to flood disaster are temporal relocation, building of stone breakwaters, support from families and the government. Construction and de-silting of drains, clearing of buildings on waterways, public education and seminars are some flood mitigation measures being undertaken by government to curtail the problem. Good local governance and the construction of drainage systems are some sustainable approaches towards making the locality safe from floods.

Keywords: Alajo; Flood adaptation; Flooding; Odaw River; Onyasia River.

I. INTRODUCTION

The world is constantly struck by several disasters and these include fire outbreaks, earthquakes, floods and many more. These disasters could be caused by natural and/or anthropogenic factors. Globally, floods are the most frequently occurring destructive natural events, affecting both rural and urban settlements [33]. Flooding is the inundation of land by water due to over saturation of the ground from precipitation, overflows from water bodies or from high tidal waves along coastal zones. One can distinguish four types of flooding in urban areas: localized flooding due to inadequate drainage; flooding from small streams within the built-up area; flooding from major rivers; and coastal flooding [24].

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