SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECT OF FLOODING ON WETLANDS (ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land (Wikipedia 2011a). Floods are among the most devastating natural disasters in the world, claiming more lives and causing more property damage than any other natural phenomena. In Lagos metropolis, though not leading in terms of claiming lives, flood affects and displaces more people than any other disaster it also causes more damage to properties. At least 20 per cent of the population is at risk from one form of flooding or another (Etuonovbe, 2011). When such floods occur in the cities it is referred to as Urban Flooding.
Generally, Flood is caused by two major factors which involve the human and man-made factors, these factors obviously are responsible for the generation and continuous occurrence of flooding in the environment, and at any point negatively affect the environment at large.
The impact of flooding may be a worldwide phenomenon, but the effects are more devastating in African cities stated (Niasse, 2004). Lagos is not an exception given their prevailing socio-economic problems in the area of housing in the urban areas. Urban areas will be faced with increases in the frequency and intensity of heavy rainstorms, ocean surges and other extreme weather events. The urban centers that will be more at risk are those where these events are already widespread.
Etuonovbe (2011) sited that flooding may occur when water in the river overflows its banks, or sometimes results from a torrential rainfall due to climate change. It happens without warning but with a surprise package that always delivers to unprepared community like the ones in the Lagos metropolis i.e Ikorodu, Victoria Island, kosofe Ajegunle, Bariga, Makoko, Ibafo-Mowe and so on. In Lagos metropolis, flood disaster has been perilous to people, communities and institutions. Recently, and other parts of the country have been affected by flooding, chasing the inhabitants away and retarding commercial activities. It has shattered both the built-environment and underdeveloped areas. It has claimed many lives, and thousands of properties got lost due to its occurrences. One prominent feature about it is that flooding does not discriminate, but marginalizes whosoever refuses to prepare for its occurrence (UNHabitat, 2008).
