Geospatial Assessment of 2012 Flood Disaster in Kogi State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Nigeria as a nation suffers the effect of Climate Change majorly through flood events. Recent flood disasters in Nigeria have been of major concern to people, communities and institutions. Flash floods are the most common in Nigeria during the peak of the rainy season (June-October) and the 2012 flood event in Nigeria is described as the worst in recent times. Kogi State was the most affected state due to its location at the confluence of the country's major rivers (Niger-Benue Rivers). The flood events have pushed rivers to overflow their banks submerging hundreds of kilometers of the urban and rural land in Kogi State which is beyond description and has attracted humanitarian assistance from both national and international organization. In a bid to mitigate the extent of damage and casualties during a flood disaster, this study aimed at assessing, mapping and analyzing the 2012 flood disaster in Kogi state, Nigeria for an effective flood disaster risk management and proper planning. Satellites imageries (MODIS of 20 th October, 2008 (before) and 13 th October 2012 (during) and provided by NASA; Nigeria Sat-X of 2012 and SPOT 5 of 2002), Base map of Kogi State, SRTM DEM, GPS coordinates; and flood pictorial evidence acquired during field survey were integrated to map flood plain, analyse the spatial extent of inundation and disaster risk areas. It was deduced that 73 communities in 7 Local governments Area (LGA) in Kogi state which are Lokoja, Kotokarfi, Bassa, Ajaokuta, Ofu, Idah and Ibaji were directly affected by the flood in 2012 and the estimated number of Internally Displaced Person (IDP) was about 303thousand. Also agricultural lands and farm produce were destroyed. Residence and major infrastructures like schools, health centres and transportation routes were fully inundated and destroyed making some communities inaccessible. This study showed that the natural flood plain boundary was not exceeded by the flooding, but due to high fertile land for farming activities in flood plain areas. As their major source of economic survival, the inhabitants have generated a strong affinity for these affected areas.