Flood Hazard Assessment and Control in Yola, Adamawa State of Nigeria
Friday Adejoh Ogwu
Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria
Email: fridayogwu@hotmail.com, fridayogwu@mautech.edu.ng
ABSTRACT
The hazard and damage caused by flood cannot be overemphasized in terms of loss of life, properties, displacement of people and disruption of socio-economic activities as well as the loss of valuable agricultural land due to the attendant inundation of flood plains. Urban flooding is gradually becoming a serious ecological problem in Yola. Several areas in Yola along major river valleys are affected by floods every year. To gain better understanding of the flood problem especially for planning purposes, the paper uses a combination of recent data on flood plains such as land use/cover, river/ flood stage and historical to assess and predict future flood and likely impacts. In addition, extreme description statistical tools such as tables and pie charts distribution are used to analyze data on causes of flood, impacts and flood frequency in different return period of flood hazards of certain magnitude as well as the extent of flood inundation to determine areas under high risk. The paper employed the use of physical planning tools with a view to assess flood hazard in selected areas of Yola North (Doubeli, Jambutu, Limawa, Gwadabawa and Rumde) and made recommendations for effective hazard control and management in the study area.
Keyword: Flood hazard, Assessment and Control, Yola, Adamawa State.
