Assessment of Flood Vulnerability in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the flood vulnerability in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State. The objectives of the study are to assess the land use land cover change for 15 years as well as to delineate flood vulnerable areas in Suleja L.G.A. Primary data was collected using a handheld GPS to obtain coordinates data of the areas where flood has previously occurred while the secondary data that were used includes the coordinate data, shape-file, landsat images for 2010, 2015, 2020, digital elevation model (DEM), and the administrative map of Suleja L.G.A. The maximum likelihood algorithm of supervised classification in ArcMap software was adopted to classify the land use in Suleja into different classes. The DEM was used to show the elevation of the area. The result from the analysis of land use and land cover satellite imageries revealed that vegetation cover has decreases and built-up area have been on the increase as a result of the influx of people. In terms of vulnerability areas, the western and south western part of Suleja are more vulnerable to flooding because they are located on low elevation, while Ranfi Sanyi, Bakin–Iku, Ibo, Kwamba, Kuchiko, Maji, Numbwa and Tunga Shano are less vulnerable because they are higher elevation areas. In terms of flood occurrences, Ranfi Sanyi and Bakin–Iku usually have flood events every year and the major factors leading to this flood is due to haphazard erection of buildings along water ways rather than natural factors (heavy rainfall and elevation). The study therefore recommends that stiffer measures should be put in place by the relevant law enforcement agencies to check the problem of indiscriminate waste disposals and constructions along the drainage and water ways.