AN ANALYSIS OF THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FLOODING IN 2024(A CASE STUDY OF RESIDENTS OF LOKOJA, KOGI STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The European Environment Agency (EEA, 2024) has reported that climate change is exacerbating floods and diminishing water quality, hence presenting a growing risk to human well-being. Although the media often focuses on catastrophic disasters caused by tsunamis and earthquakes, floods are actually the most common type of disaster resulting from natural or technological hazards. In fact, floods account for 40-50% of all disasters and disaster-related deaths worldwide (Liang, 2023). Based on data from the EM-DAT database, floods (excluding tsunamis) made up 38.7% of all events, 6.2% of the deaths, and 43.0% of the population impacted by natural disasters worldwide between 2000 and 2009 (Magnus et al., 2017). The rate at which the flood occurs is the primary factor that determines the quantity of deaths caused by the flood.  Nevertheless, floods frequently endure as protracted occurrences that might persist for days, weeks, or even longer periods of time.

Floods are characterised as the state that arises when water beyond the boundaries of a natural or man-made watercourse, such as a stream or river, or when it accumulates through drainage in low-lying regions (Dennis et al., 2019)."Floods result from precipitation, such as rainfall, the thawing of snow or ice, or the collapse of water-containing structures, especially underground structures. The magnitude and scope of the flood are influenced by the geographical placement and topography, as well as the man-made structures in the area. Floods have a direct impact on the human community by coming into touch with the water. They also have an indirect impact by causing harm to both the natural and human-made surroundings. Even little, confined floods can profoundly affect individuals' physical and mental well-being (Lee et al., 2022). A study conducted by Mank (2020) revealed a significant quadrupling in the incidence of illnesses among those whose residences had experienced flooding, in comparison to those whose homes had not been affected by flooding. The frequency of floods is not only rising, but the process of expanding urbanisation is also causing a greater number of people to be at risk of experiencing floods. Furthermore, it is forecasted that global warming will affect the frequency of floods. Global

Floods can have both beneficial and detrimental impacts on the ecosystem. The consequences of the floods are determined by the scale and intensity of the flood (Wen, 2021). Severe floods have devastating impacts on infrastructure, livestock, agriculture, economy, and environmental conditions. However, if a flood is of a smaller scale, it is more likely to have positive rather than negative effects on the environment. Floods can have detrimental effects on human populations, but they can also have a positive impact on natural biodiversity. The adverse environmental impacts of floods can encompass soil and bank erosion, bed erosion, siltation, and landslides (Rafiu et al., 2023). Flooding can cause harm to vegetation and transport contaminants. Water has the potential to influence the quality of water, as well as the ecosystems and the plant and animal life that exist inside it (Jide, 2022). 

The occurrence of flooding in Nigeria is attributed to a combination of natural phenomena and human actions. Factors contributing to natural causes include an abundance of rainfall, the characteristics of the terrain, and the composition of soils (Obasanjo, 2022). Human activities, such as inadequate environmental planning and monitoring, construction of housing in areas prone to flooding, deforestation, unplanned developments causing drainage blockages, improper waste disposal practices, government negligence in policy design and implementation, and weak policy enforcement, also contribute to the occurrence of floods (Akpan et al., 2019). Both the construction of dams and the utilisation of land upstream have been recognised as contributing contributors to the decrease in river discharges in the Niger Delta, resulting in flooding (Patrick, 2022). Climate change, which encompasses higher levels of rainfall intensity, frequency, and duration, has been acknowledged as a cause of flooding in Nigeria (Akpan et al., 2019). In Nigeria, the prevalence of floods is attributed to a combination of natural and human factors, such as inadequate planning, infrastructure, and governance.

Flooding is a widespread natural calamity that presents substantial health and environmental hazards, especially in regions susceptible to such occurrences. Lokoja, the administrative centre of Kogi State, Nigeria, is strategically positioned at the junction of the Niger and Benue rivers, rendering it very vulnerable to flooding. In 2024, Lokoja was subjected to a significant inundation event, resulting in detrimental consequences for the well-being of its inhabitants and the surrounding ecosystem. The objective of this study is to examine these hazards, with a specific focus on the encounters and difficulties encountered by the inhabitants of Lokoja.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The floods that occurred in Lokoja in 2024 resulted in significant health and environmental difficulties. The floodwaters contaminated sources of drinking water, accelerated the transmission of waterborne infections, and provided ideal conditions for the proliferation of disease-carrying organisms like mosquitoes. In addition, the floods resulted in substantial environmental deterioration, such as soil erosion, water contamination, and habitat damage. The aforementioned concerns highlight the pressing requirement for a thorough examination of the health and environmental hazards linked to floods in Lokoja, together with the formulation of efficient measures to reduce these risks.

Obtaining precise figures about the effects of floods at the urban level in Nigeria is difficult due to the challenges linked to data collection and accessibility (Lucas, 2021). Regular flooding in Lokoja causes significant harm and destruction to essential infrastructure, residences, small enterprises, educational institutions, markets, roadways, water facilities, communication networks, healthcare centres, electric power poles, and other public infrastructure (Lucas, 2021; Adegun, 2022; Odunuga et al., 2012). The estimated annual cost of this damage is $22.2 million (InsuResilience Solutions Fund, 2021).

Furthermore, the annual flooding in Lokoja not only causes harm to human infrastructure, but also has significant consequences for biodiversity and local ecosystems. Flooding adversely affects nearby aquatic ecosystems by transporting garbage, contaminated sediments, and fertilisers from agricultural land into water bodies, hence endangering the well-being of aquatic organisms (Echendu, 2020; Chukwu Okeah et al., 2018). In the Niger Delta region, the quality of water is negatively affected by floods, which poses a threat to fish productivity at local fishing ports (Chukwu Okeah et al., 2018).

The flooding in Lokoja has detrimental effects on human health due to the pollution of water bodies and the rise in cases of waterborne diseases such as malaria, cholera, typhoid, yellow fever, diarrhoea, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A (Echendu, 2020; Olanrewaju et al., 2019). The ongoing discharge of untreated sewage and waste into the environment is causing contamination of wells and boreholes used for domestic water supply in Lokoja. This further worsens the already limited availability of clean water in the area (Olanrewaju et al., 2019; Atufu and Holt, 2018; Anabaraonye et al., 2021). This study aims to analyze the health and environmental concerns linked to flooding in 2024, specifically focusing on the population of Lokoja, Kogi state.

Objectives of the study

The primary objective of this study is to critically analyse the health and environmental risks associated with flooding in 2024(a case study of residents of Lokoja, Kogi state). Specific objectives of this study are to:

To assess the extent flood contributes to disease outbreak in Lokoja in 2024

To assess the environmental consequences of flooding in Lokoja in 2024

To identify factors that contributed to the vulnerability of residents in Lokoja to health and environmental risks during the 2024 flood event

To offer recommendations to stakeholders in Kogi State for improving flood resilience and disaster management

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

To what extent does flood contribute to disease outbreak in Lokoja in 2024?

What is the environmental consequences of flooding in Lokoja in 2024?

What are the factors that contributed to the vulnerability of residents in Lokoja to health and environmental risks during the 2024 flood event?

What are the recommendations for improving flood resilience and disaster management in Lokoja, Kogi state?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following research null hypotheses will be formulated to guide the study and it will be tested at 0.05% levels of significance.:

Ho: There are no significant factors that contributed to the vulnerability of residents in Lokoja to health and environmental risks during the 2024 flood event

Ha: There are significant factors that contributed to the vulnerability of residents in Lokoja to health and environmental risks during the 2024 flood event.

1.6 Significance of the study

The importance of this study lies in its ability to produce practical knowledge that safeguards the health and welfare of residents in Lokoja, reduces environmental effects, enhances community adaptability, influences policy changes, and contributes to sustainable development initiatives in Kogi State and beyond. 

Lokoja, like with numerous other flood-prone regions, encounters substantial health hazards during flooding occurrences. This study will thoroughly evaluate the potential hazards associated with these factors, encompassing waterborne diseases, respiratory ailments resulting from mould and damp conditions, physical injuries, and psychological consequences such as anxiety and stress experienced by people. The study will use quantitative methods to measure and analyze the health effects. This will provide important information about the susceptibility of Lokoja's population to health issues, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing medical illnesses. This information is crucial for the development of precise public health treatments and plans for emergency response.

Additionally, the study's findings will offer evidence-based suggestions to policymakers, local authorities, and stakeholders in Kogi State to enhance flood risk management and disaster response strategies. The organization will actively support policies that give priority to infrastructure expenditures in areas prone to flooding, enforce construction codes, and include climate adaption measures into urban planning and development frameworks. The project seeks to impact policy changes that improve governance structures, bolster institutional capabilities, and foster cross-sector collaboration to tackle the health and environmental hazards linked to floods in Lokoja and other areas.

Moreover, upcoming scholars will utilize it as a thorough examination of the current academic literature. Thus, those with an interest in this field of study can depend on this work as a reliable and meticulously evaluated source of information.

1.7 Scope of the study

Broadly, this study focus is to critically analyse the health and environmental risks associated with flooding in 2024(a case study of residents of Lokoja, Kogi state). Specifically, this study seeks assess the extent flood contributes to disease outbreak in Nigeria and assess the environmental consequences of flooding in Lokoja in 2024. 

Further, this study will focus on identifying factors that contributed to the vulnerability of Nigerians to health and environmental risks during the 2024 flood event and it also seeks to offer recommendations to stakeholders for improving flood resilience and disaster management.

 The study is carried out in Lokoja, Kogi state.

1.8 Limitations of the study

As with any human endeavour, the researchers experienced many minor constraints during the investigation. The main limitation was the lack of extensive literature on the subject, due to the limited availability of data about an analysis of the health and environmental risks associated with flooding in 2024(a case study of residents of Lokoja, Kogi state). Hence, a significant allocation of time and exertion was necessary to ascertain the appropriate materials, books, or information and gather data. 

Furthermore, this study is constrained by its small sample size and narrow geographical scope, focusing solely on Lokoja, Kogi state. Therefore, the conclusions of this study cannot be extended to other situations, thus requiring further investigation. 

Moreover, the researcher's restrictions were primarily due to financial constraints, as they are a student without any source of income to sustain themselves. The exorbitant transportation costs at the research location, exacerbated by the prevailing inflation in Nigeria, posed a significant challenge in meeting the expenses associated with transportation.

Finally, the researcher faced a time constraint due to the need to do this research while still fulfilling the obligations of attending lectures and participating in other educational activities.

1.9 Definition of terms

Flood: Flood is an overflow of water onto normally dry land. The inundation of a normally dry area caused by rising water in an existing waterway, such as a river, stream, or drainage ditch. Ponding of water at or near the point where the rain fell. Flooding is a longer term event than flash flooding: it may last days or weeks.

Flood pattern: Flood pattern" refers to the correlation and relationship between various parameters, such as rainfall and temperature, that contribute to the occurrence and severity of floods.

Urbanization: Urbanization is the process through which cities grow, and higher and higher percentages of the population come to live in the city.