Flood Hazard Risk Assessment in Part of Calabar South (Ekpo Abasi, New Airport, Yellow Duke, Goldie, Target), Cross River State

Abstract

This paper supplies a calamitous flood hazard and likelihood assessment in Calabar South, Nigeria, using GIS and remote sensing methods. It fills a large hole in flood risk management for coastal urban areas susceptible to climate change. The study’s procedure (weighted overlay analysis, multi-criteria decision) and results (flood hazard/risk zonation) are of importance to the people in charge of policy-making, city planning, and disaster management agencies. The inclusion of social and economic aspects (like population density, land use) along with the hydrological parameters makes it more applicable to sustainable development and resilience planning in analogous areas. The objective of this study was to review and synthesize concepts and techniques of flood hazard, vulnerability and risk assessment concerning Calabar South. Flood risk is a function and a product of hazard and vulnerability. The effects of flood and flash flood events (both slow onset and rapid onset) in specific locations can indicate significant socioeconomic factors and environmental services, such as the number of individuals in danger, the impact on ecological services, and the ability of the human population to recover. Conducting a risk assessment is crucial for informing decisions, shaping policies, and managing flood situations. Utilizing the PRISMA methodology for literature review, articles were sourced from the Google Scholar database. Although this paper is not a systematic review, the framework of PRISMA was used to frame the literature search and the process of selection. That was done to enhance adequate transparency and reproducibility in searching for the important studies that have to do with the selection of flood hazard parameters and their respective weights. Articles were eliminated from the review after a thorough reading because they did not align with the goals of the literature review and the specified inclusion criteria. Techniques for assessing flood hazards rely on a variety of factors, including meteorological, hydrological, and socioeconomic parameters. Flood risk assessment involves four essential steps: characterizing the area, determining the level and intensity of the hazard, evaluating vulnerability, and assessing risk. Recently, there has been considerable progress in the application of GIS, remote sensing, and hydraulic modelling technologies in developing models for calculating flood hazards and analyzing risks. The incidence of floods in mountainous areas has become increasingly common and is expected to rise in the future due to global warming. Community-based flood warning systems can significantly assist rural communities and flood management agencies in preparing for flash floods.