| dc.description.abstract | Disasters have disproportionate effects on the poor as they are relatively more vulnerable to
disaster events. In the Kenya‘s Nyanza region, floods in the Kano Plains have been a major cause
of impoverishment in the household. This study examined the impact of flood events in the
lower Kano plains of Kisumu County, Kenya with a view of recommending appropriate
interventions to increase community resilience. The study specifically sought to know the impact
of annual flood cycles on property, life and livelihoods. On the basis of a case study research
design, the study collected data from a convenient sample of 160 households in Ogenya sublocation
using a survey questionnaire. Key informant interviews were administered to selected
officials from government and NGOs as well as elders from the community. Also, the study
conducted focus groups on various population segments including men, women and youth.
Observations were done to verify actual effects of flood events. Data obtained from the field
were stored in an SPSS system and appropriate analytical procedures applied on the dataset. The
results show that the lower Kano Plains experience three flood events every year and the
floodwaters lasted an average of 14 days. The flood events most severely affected crop fields,
housing, and infrastructure and also inflicted loss of human life. Accesses to food and water,
education, income and housing have reduced due to flood events in Kano Plains while morbidity
rates have increased. Hypotheses tests show that there is no relationship between flood frequency
and flood duration in Lower Kano Plains. The chi-square test rejected the hypothesis that stated
‗‗there is no difference in the effect of flood events and impacts of flood on poverty indices‘‘.
The households used different coping mechanisms that were found not to be effective in
reducing flood induced effects. The study concluded that flood is a major cause of household
poverty in Kano Plains and recommended effective response to floods early warning systems and
capacity building on flood coping strategies. | en_US |
