Title: Spatial analysis of disaster statistics in selected cities of Nigeria

Authors: Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola

Addresses: Insights and Strategy Department, Bridge International Academies, Lagos, 100242, Nigeria

Abstract: The frequency and occurrence of natural, technological and man-induced disasters are increasing in Nigeria. The trends and patterns of these occurrences are scarcely accessed in literature. This paper focuses on types, occurrences and causes of disasters in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, Nigeria. Data were collected by administering questionnaires and conducting in-depth interviews (IDIs) with disaster stakeholders (residents, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) personnel and victims of disaster) in disaster-prone areas of the selected cities. Results indicated that fire outbreak, flood, building collapse and windstorm have been major threats to lives and properties in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, Nigeria. Also, factors such as overpopulation, poor governance, erections of weak structure, unplanned urban spread and unenforced physical planning policy worsen the issue. These results among others contributed to our understanding of causes and trend of disasters in a typical developing country.

Keywords: disasters; trend; statistics; flood; fire outbreak; building collapse; Nigeria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2019.104195

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2019 Vol.15 No.4, pp.299 - 315

Received: 19 Jul 2018
Accepted: 25 Jul 2019
Published online: 20 Dec 2019 *

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