Assessment of Urban Flood Disaster: A Case Study of 2011 Ibadan Floods

Abstract

Increase in both precipitation due to climate change and imperviousness due to urbanization coupled with encroachment in to areas liable to floods have continued to  increase the frequencies and risk to floods in urban centres of the world. In the developing countries indiscriminate dumping of refuse and siltation in waterways and drainage system are common practices, which reduce the carrying capacities of the stormwater channels and increase the risks of flooding and associated hazards. Ona River and its tributaries in Ibadan city was hit by floods in 2011, the University of Ibadan, the Eleyele and IITA dams were at the receiving end. Many communities downstream suffer serious damages and over 100 lives were lost. This paper reviews the immediate causes and possible measures to prevent further occurrence.