Perception and Response to Flooding Risk in Adama City, Ethiopia

No Thumbnail Available

Date

2021-10

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Addis Ababa University

Abstract

Flood hazard has become a serious challenge and resulted in social and economic crisis in cities of developing countries. This thesis is aimed at analyzing perception of and response to flooding in Adama City, Ethiopia. The research was carried out using cross-sectional study design with mixed approaches (quantitative and qualitative). Data were collected using Key Informant interview and household survey from high, medium and low flood risk areas of the city. Household survey was conducted on 312 sample households using KoBoCollect application software. For qualitative data collection and analysis, 10 individual samples were selected based on the informants’ knowledge and direct relevance on the issue under investigation. A multiple linear regression model was used to identify determinants of flood risk perception. The findings revealed that the high and medium flood risk areas lacked basic infrastructures and had a greater level of perception as compared with low flood risk area. The result of the assessment also disclosed that heavy rain, absence of protective or retaining construction and its maintenance, and poor urban drainage structure were the main perceived causes while housing damage and destruction of household equipment, loss of infrastructure and health problems were effects of flooding in the City. The preparedness and response measures to protect and minimize the flooding hazard found were householders’ evacuation from their houses, filling sand in bags and placing around the edges of the premise as well as making a retaining wall-like structure with a hollow block despite it was not strong. In flood protection measures and Early Warning System, the support given from government and non-governmental organizations was inadequate. Thus, the government, community-based organizations and residents should take sustainable strategies for short and long term adaptation and mitigation measures.

Description

Keywords

Flooding, perception, risk, response measures, Adama City

Citation