Household vulnerability to flood hazards in Kalehe Territory, Eastern D.R Congo

Abstract

Floods hazards are common and prevalent in Kalehe Territory, Eastern DRC, and often causing damage to the community. However, despite the prevalence of flood hazards, there is a paucity of information and knowledge on the vulnerability of the communities to the flood hazards in Kalehe Territory. Therefore, the thrust of this study was to assess the community's vulnerability to flood hazards as a first step in resilience building. The objectives of the study were; (1) to determine the magnitude and trends of flood hazards in Nyamukubi catchment (2) to assess the vulnerability of households to flood hazards (3) to assess the households and community coping mechanisms to flood hazards in Kalehe Territory. The magnitude and trends of flood hazards were determined using time series analysis in discharge data simulated from the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) Rainfall-runoff model. Household vulnerability and coping mechanisms were assessed using a survey approach. Household questionnaires were administered to 240 respondents, and vulnerability was determined based on responses given. Similarly, coping mechanisms for flood hazards were elicited from the household interviews. Results showed that for 28 years of flood hazards analysis, 24 flood hazard events were recorded in the study area. The number of flood events reaches its maximum value in the years 1998, 2001, 2009, 2012 (2 flood events), and its minimum in years 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2018 (1 flood event). While October 2014 contains the highest flood discharge event (44.09 m3/s), and December 2007 was the lowest flood discharge event (16.43 m3/s). The short flood duration in the number of food hazards between flood events occurred in 1995 (124 days) and the longer one in 2018 (943 days). The Man-Kendall statistic test revealed that there is no linear trend in the number of flood hazards for 25 years (p-value :< 0.13). Household vulnerability assessment to flood hazards shows a significant variation (p-value: <0.0001). The multidimensional vulnerability index revealed that most households are vulnerable to the past affect flood hazards occurrence (indices: 0.8), followed by the past flood experience vulnerability (indices: 0.7) and physical vulnerability (indices: 0.6). Then, some are vulnerable to Socio-economic and institutional vulnerability factors (indices: 0.5) and the attitudinal vulnerability factor (indices: 0.4). In general, 57% of households are vulnerable to flood hazards, and 43% are resilient. Household coping mechanisms in Kalehe Territory vary, and temporarily relocating to safe areas is the most employed (67.8%). Coping mechanisms are influenced by the socioeconomic status of households affecting their vulnerability factors (social, economic, physical, institutional, XIII attitudinal, past flood experience, and past flood effect factors) and their resilience to flooding. This study has shown increased flood hazards, household vulnerability, and poor coping mechanisms in Kalehe Territory, Eastern DR Congo. Relocation of the affected households to safe areas could be the key solution to reducing their vulnerability to flood hazards.