Downstream Socio-Economic Impact of Dam Failure: A Case Study of 2012 River Flooding in Benue State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Flooding, Socio-economic impact, Flood prone areas, Benue StateAbstract
The paper focused on evaluating the short and long term impacts of the 2012 flood disaster on the socio-economic sectors of Benue State. To achieve the aim of the study, Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) methodology was employed. Results of the analysis showed that health, agriculture and business centres experienced the worst socio-economic damages among the different sectors in the area. Value of damage and losses in Health sector was N314.4 million, estimated needs for the sector was N215.1 million. In Agriculture, 32,860 livestock were destroyed during the flooding, estimated value of losses in fish production was 240.38 metric tons while in crop production, farmers lost N21.7 billion to flood disaster. In trade and commerce, 438,536 business outfits were affected and aggregate working days lost in trade and commerce was 881,400 days. It has also an enormous impact on the economic foundation of the state due to expenditure for rehabilitation and reconstruction. The paper concluded that, absence of buffer Dams contributed to the increased socio-economic impact of the disaster.
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