FLOOD VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION IN ACCRA: EXAMINING ASPECTS OF BOTH CLIMATE AND NON-CLIMATE FACTORS

ABSTRACT Flood is most predominant natural disaster in the world, affecting most cities in Africa especially during rainy seasons. Only an average of 100 floods per decade used to occur. However, since middle of 20th century, flood cases have increased to more than 2,800 per decade. In Sub-Saharan African countries, efforts at managing flood disasters are mainly reactive approaches such as provision of relief to affected people. Reasons are that there is low level of technology for adaptation and there is still high perception that flood is natural and inevitable disaster. This study sought to analyse flood disaster as caused by both natural factors (climate) and human induced factors, including poor drainage systems and waste management making people more vulnerable to floods. The study also examined flood distribution, severity, and the adaptations to such flood disaster. A mixed method research strategy was adopted for data gathering and analysis. Reponses were gathered from 440 respondents using questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews from household heads and institutional heads. Questionnaires were analysed using SPSS v.20 and results shown in tables, charts and maps. Classification Discriminant Analysis was used to classify flood situation in selected communities. Geographical Information System (GIS) –ArcGIS v.10 was used to map spatial distribution of floods. Flood disaster is a serious challenge in Ghana where it emerges as a leading natural disaster causing damage to lives and properties. Both climatic and human factors were established as contributors to flood disaster in the Metropolis. Nonetheless, the human factors act as catalysts to exacerbate flood occurrence and the extent of damage. Residents’ vulnerability to floods have been linked to human factors including poor housing, inadequate and chocked drainage  systems, and poor waste management practices among others. Rainfall was identified to be erratic and is becoming more intensive with high run-off. The study also established that flood occurrence and effects in the Metropolis were not evenly distributed. Slum communities and other low residential areas experienced more floods. Efforts by institutions, civil society organization and local communities do not focus on reducing people’s vulnerability to the floods. There is the need for making the city more resilient through efficient planning and building structures such as houses, drainage systems, awareness creation on flood risks, proper waste management systems