Assessing the Effects of Urban Expansion on Flood Susceptibility in the Ga East Municipality: A Case of Dome

Abstract

Rapid urban expansion has heightened the vulnerability of urban communities to flooding. In view of this, the dissertation examined the effects of urban expansion on flood susceptibility in the Ga East Municipality, with a specific focus on Dome. The study explored the perceptions of residents on the influence of urban expansion on flood vulnerability, the socioeconomic effects of urban expansion-induced flooding, and the coping strategies adopted by residents to mitigate the effects of flooding. A simple random sampling technique was used to sample 215 respondents for the household questionnaire survey, whilst assembly officials, community leaders, and longstanding residents were purposively selected for the in-depth interviews. The findings revealed that residents were largely familiar with the impacts of urban expansion. Again, urban expansion induced flooding was revealed to have severe consequences on residents. Comparatively, most residents faced severe financial and health challenges due to frequent floods in the area. The study further established that residents of Dome relied on structural coping mechanisms in the forms of sandbag usage and wall elevation to mitigate the impacts of flooding. These were, however, found to be insufficient due to the absence of flood insurance packages and the low adoption of evacuation strategies amidst the increasing and recurring nature of flooding as a result of urban expansion. In view of these, the study recommended the strict enforcement of urban planning regulations, improvement of the drainage infrastructure in the area, and community education on the dangers of uncontrolled urban expansion and flooding. The enhancement of early warning systems was also recommended to ensure timely actions and enable preventive response among affected residents.