GEOSPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF FLOOD RISK

ABSTRACT

Over the years, flooding has been a constant menace in several parts of the world, including Nigeria, leading to major devastating effects on both the economy and the environment. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is not exempted from these challenges as it has, over the years, experienced numerous catastrophic flooding events. This study aims to carry out a flood risk assessment in the FCT. The study adopts the use of geospatial assessment. It highlights various flooding events around the world, their causes and effects and also proffers solutions for the affected environments, some of which include proper land use, public participation and awareness, pollution control risk assessment and flood emergency response. With the use of Geographic Information System (GIS), this study adopted a multi-criteria analysis of factors contributing to flood risk in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The findings of this study give valuable insights into the spatial distribution of flood risk within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), accentuating the various local government areas that are at a higher risk of flooding. By identifying the highrisk areas, this study will provide the federal government and the FCT administration with the necessary information needed to develop flood mitigation and adaptation strategies tailored particularly to the vulnerable areas within the FCT, thereby, reducing the impact of future flood occurrences. Additionally, this study will serve as a useful resource for future research in this field.