Sunyani’s Flood Risk Landscape: An In-Depth Examination

Abstract

Disaster is the only event that can set back most goals achieved in decades in just an event. The ability to cope with the onset and aftermath of flood disasters poses a great challenge for municipal administrators around the world. Sunyani Municipality is vulnerable to flood disasters because of its growing population, dependency on climate for livelihoods, low-income levels, non-existence of insurance policies, weak government institutions, and inadequate funds to manage the municipality. Sunyani Municipality lacks a flood risk management plan to deal with mitigating the hazard, managing it when it occurs and restoring normalcy after the event. Flood-prone map was generated using digital elevation, hydrological datasets, land use maps of Sunyani coupled with flood models which were informed by the land use and Spatial Planning Unit regulation. A questionnaire was used to ascertain information from persons leaving within the flood-prone area. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents. Major hazards Identified are climate hydrological (Riverine and urban flooding). The spatial location of the riverine flood is along the major rivers in the municipality. The other type of flood in the municipality is the urban/flash floods. Although, the areas experiencing the flash floods are built-up or residential areas, field visits indicated that most of the residential buildings are currently sitting in a flow accumulation path, which impedes the movement of rainwater after downpours. As such, the easy spillage of water into houses and shops. The flooding of some of the municipality’s major routes will affect economic activities.