Analysis of the frequency of flooding disasters and their social economic implications on the livelihoods in Kanaba subcounty Kisoro district

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of the flood disasters in Kanaba subcounty Kisoro district. The specific objectives of the study were; 1) to determine the frequency of flood disasters,2) to identify the underlying causes of floods in Kanaba subcounty, and 3) to analyze social economic implications of the floods on the livelihoods . The study applied both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection to collect data from a sample size of 96 respondents from Kanaba subcounty using questionnaires and interviews. The study found out that majority 44.8% experience flooding every year. A big number of respondents 55.2% revealed that floods are severe presently (2022) compared in the last five years, 51% of the respondent reported that they experience flooding two times a year and a great number of 39.6% reported that floods last for < 3 weeks. Majority 38.5% reported that flooding is caused by encroachment on the wetlands, 30.2% reported deforestation and 15.6% reported steep terrain of the subcounty as the major cause of flooding. The most vulnerable people to flooding were the farmers 45.8%. the social implications of flooding are; crop production (p=0.001), livestock production (p=0.036) and housing facilities while economic implications are; property destruction (p=0.001), destruction of businesses (p=0.018), reduced hours of work (p=0.000), disruption in the land use activities (p=0.013),and increase emergency costs (p=0.005). The study recommended that the best mitigation measures are; shifting to a higher ground, shifting cultivation, migration to safer places and community resource sharing. The study concluded that flooding in the subcounty is high and if not mitigated is likely to lead to loss in livelihood outcomes. The study recommended that the government and key stake holders should engage communities in order to move permanently to higher grounds and should be a deliberate policy to compel communities, especially in the rural areas, to build houses using durable materials and away from flood prone areas as well as the height from flood level must be considered.