Abstract:
Various causes of flooding in Anambra state (Awka and Onitsha) were looked
at in a broad way to determine the meteorological, natural, anthropogenic/human
factors that encourage flooding, and the flooding potential of the study area using
physical factors.
A fifteen year rainfall data was used to determine the departure of rainfall
from normal for Awka and Onitsha. Severe flood would be expected in the year 2009
while no flood will be expected in the year2001, 2006 and 2010, whereas moderate
flooding should occur in many other years. The monthly mean rainfall (1998-2012)
shows a noticeable steady rainfall from May to August while the maxima of rainfall
were recorded in September.
Natural/physical factors responsible for flooding in the study area, are water
bodies and tributaries in and around Awka and Onitsha, different soil type (Acrisols,
Lixisols, Nitisols, and Fluvisols) and the slope (elevation) of the study area. All these
contribute to flooding in different degrees in any particular area. From the
combination of these flood-causing parameters and derivation of their respective
critical index values, the flooding potential of the study area was obtained.
Analysis of the questionnaire on public opinion shows that, flooding in
particular and poor waste management are the two important environmental
problems in Anambra state.
