Abstract

Flood is one of the most environmental challenges that has longed been plaguing most coastal cities in the world. Similarly, flood has been of a night mare to the population in the Bonjo locality in the Limbe 1 Municipality.

The quest for this study was to examine the environmental implications of flood occurrence in Bonjo locality. It was a descriptive research that adopted a cross-sectional research design. There was a preliminary reconnaissance field survey which was followed by the development of questionnaires. Among the targeted population and through the simple random sampling techniques, 60 persons were administered questionnaires.

Magazines, newspaper, online and offline libraries also constituted a major sources of information for this study. Results gotten through the descriptive and the inferential statistical techniques shows that there is rampant and destructive flood phenomenon in the locality with major causes being torrential rains, sea level rises and poor drainage systems.

Also, soil erosion, environmental pollution, and the destruction of agricultural lands are due to flood occurrence. Individuals’ adaptation strategies are weak in stemming flood occurrence. Limbe is a town with diverse socio-economic and political activities. Holistic measures and participatory strategies should be implemented in order to combat flood challenges.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0: Background of Study

A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. In the Sense of “flowing water”, the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide.  Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrology and are of significant concern in agriculture crude engineering and public health. Globally, floods are viewed as the most destructive to all-natural triggered disasters.

Third of the estimated total cost losses that exceed one third of the estimated total Cost associated with all disaster events triggered by natural hazards. Additionally, floods  events  account  for about 2/3  of  the  global  population  affected  by all  naturally trigger disasters  events  (UNDP,  2004).

Initiatives such as the international strategy  for disaster risk  production  have  recognize  the  urgency  to  reduce  such floods loses and  as such, advocating for greater attention to integrated flood risk management as an integral aspect of sustainable development.

In this context, the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction(ISDR) reports that nations and communities that have successfully reduced their floods loses effectively balance the potential consequences of flood risk with the value of other beneficial, socio economic goals. Such countries have also reportedly made informed management decisions based on reliable information, promote principles of self-help and self-reliance and support traditional migration methods along with new technologies.

The Asian continent is much affected by floods and the countries include India, China, the Philippines, Iran, Bangladesh and Nepal which are vulnerable to floods (WWAP, 2006). This indicates that majority of flood disasters victims are poor people of developing countries, who suffer most and are first casualty of such incidents.

In the third week of May 2014, the massive low-pressure cyclone Tamara (Ivette) swept through the western Balkans, resulting in an extreme precipitation event that saw some 230mm of fall over a period of 72hrs, causing flash floods and massive landslides in western and central Serbia. Some of the locations in western Serbia were affected in many flow- types landslides, which had never previously been reported in this areas. This flow-type landslide caused severe damage in and to local municipalities (residential areas, roads, infrastructural facilities, cultivated land, pastures and forests). In the process of the post-disaster recovery led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Serbia, a post-event flood inventory was conducted. Analysis of Very High Resolution satellite images resulting in 691 recognized debris flow in the affected areas (about 2,3km3 of visually recognized land-slide) (Duric et al., 2017).

On the 27 February 2014, floods threatened the centre of San Leo a medieval town built on top of a calcarenitic slab in Val Marceehia (northern Italy) a volume of some 330,000 m3 of rock detached from the eastern side of the plateau, resulting in the evacuation of several houses, a school and a police station. Prior to the failure, severe undermining of the rock was observed due to the progressive removal of underlying clay shales.

Mass wasting processes associated with runoff and shallow flood occurring in small scales catchments at the base of the cliff were thought to be the controlling factors. Thus, countermeasures such as earthen dams and retaining wall set on piles were adopted in recent decades to avoid further slope instability, together with extensive bolting of the rock face (Ribacchi and Tommasi 1988; Caturani et al. 1991; D’Ambra et al 2004; Benedetti et al. 2011)

Cameroon is a country found within the CEMAC zone where risk of natural hazards cannot be over emphasized. Floods in the Far north region of the country lead to the death of 28 people alongside destruction of human property (Ndives, 2009). As a recent move, embargments have been created to prevent it future occurrence but a similar event occurred in 2018 but this has lesser consequences than the former.

Limbe is a sea sort resort town in the southwest region of Cameroon. It is found in the coastal lowland region of the country due to its proximity to water bodies. As such, risk of natural hazards resulting from water action is inevitable. Such hazards include landslide and flooding which have been prevalent in the Limbe municipality. Strategic affected areas include Mabeta and Mawoh villages which are highly prone to risk of landslide and flood occurrence. But this study focuses on floods risk assessment in the communities concerned.

1.2: Statement of the Research Problem

There is a consensus that risk resulting from hydrological extremes are on the increase. This view is fuelled by evidence both from recent changes in the frequency and severity of flood from time to time (Zeboc, 2009).  Flooding remains the most controversial phenomena in the 21st century. Coastal areas are easily affected. Limbe which is a typical example of a coastal town is at risk of flood phenomena.

Floods are usually severe in Limbe 1 during the rainy season. This is due to the fact that pressure is mounted on the slope by buildings around this time and other economic activities such as cultivation of crops along such slopes which can clearly be seen in Limbe 1. This causes the soil to be loose causing regolith to flow down slope as mud flow.

Also, the population has deforested most of the forested slopes around Bonjo, Mawoh, which would have served as cover or influence the hydrology on the slopes by protecting it thereby increasing the transportation of weathered materials down slope. It is sad to say that in most cases the natural beauty of the environment has been lost due to flooding events in the Limbe 1 municipality recorded on several occasions with the most recent happenings in April 2017.The damage resulting from flood hazard has left stakeholders pondering and revising strategies towards mitigating flood hazards in the Limbe Municipality.

1.3. Research Questions

1.3.1 Main Research Question

What are the environmental impacts of flooding in the Limbe 1 municipality?

1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

This work seeks to provide answers to the following questions.,

1. What are the causes of floods in Limbe 1Municipality?
2. What are the effects of floods in the Limbe 1 Municipality?
3. What are the indigenous adaptations measures to mitigate floods in Limbe 1 municipality?

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