The Socio-economic Effects of Floods in the Semi-arid Lowlands of Baringo South Sub-county, Baringo County, Kenya
Abstract
Flooding is a natural disaster that occurs when water inundates dry land. Kenya has been a victim
of such a disaster where its citizen loses their valuables. Baringo South Sub-County is one of the
country's hotspots. In 2013 houses were submerged, crop fields destroyed, health centers,
schools, and roads damaged. This study aimed to investigate floods' socio-economic effects in
the Baringo South Sub-County's semi-arid lowlands. The following objectives guided the study:
To establish the vulnerability of the communities to floods, assess the socio-economic effects of
floods, evaluate risk preparedness for floods, and explore the management practices usedfor floods
in Baringo South Sub-County. A purposive sampling technique was utilized to identify
respondents. The survey, focus group discussion and key informant interviews were methods used
in data collection. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data
were analyzed thematically. The study revealed that poverty was the leading cause of people's
vulnerability to floods, and floods destroyed pasture lands, displaced people from their homes, and
destroyed cultural centers. Risk reduction measures applied were forecasts, and timely evacuation
and management practices were cash transfers and humanitarian aid.
In conclusion, floods affect people negatively, and there is a need for measures to be invented to
avoid them. Therefore, help given to the victims should be pre-disaster and not post-disaster.
Suggestions for further research are the study of the socio-economic effects of floods on
communities surrounding any other lakes in the rift valley
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
- Faculty of Arts [747]
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