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Urban Planning Key to Combating Flooding – Experts

Experts in the built environment have emphasized that effective urban planning and infrastructure design are essential in reducing the impact of flooding.
 
Nwosu Obinna, Principal Partner at CN Architects Ltd, told The PUNCH that flooding is one of the most destructive natural disasters, causing significant financial damage to the built environment.
 
"Effective urban planning and infrastructure design are crucial in mitigating the impacts of flooding," Obinna said. "Flood defenses like levees, flood walls, flood plains, and green spaces help absorb floodwaters. Sustainable drainage systems and comprehensive flood risk management are essential. Building codes and standards should require elevated structures, flood-resistant materials, and proper drainage systems."
He noted that flooding affects housing, infrastructure, businesses, and the broader economy, with causes ranging from climate change and urbanization to deforestation and construction in floodplains. Obinna cited Nigeria's 2022 floods, which resulted in estimated economic losses between $3.79 billion and $9.12 billion, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, highlighting the severe financial impact on the nation's economy.
 
Obinna called on the Federal Government to implement policies that ensure insurance and risk transfer through subsidies, tax incentives for flood-resilient development, and public-private partnerships for affordable coverage. He also suggested the use of catastrophe bonds to fund recovery efforts and emphasized the importance of addressing climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating wetlands as natural flood defenses.
 
 
"Flooding causes massive financial losses, affecting property, infrastructure, financial systems, and economies," he said. "Comprehensive strategies in urban planning, infrastructure development, building codes, and insurance schemes are necessary to combat these impacts. Upgrading and maintaining drainage systems, implementing early warning systems, restricting development in floodplains, and enhancing emergency response, river management, and coastal protection projects are critical steps in mitigating these financial losses."
 
Engineer Babatunji Adegoke echoed these sentiments, stating that planning laws and regulations play a vital role in mitigating flooding. "By adhering to these laws, we can ensure roads are designed to withstand heavy rainfall and flooding, preserve green spaces to absorb excess water, build developments in appropriate areas, and design infrastructure with flood resilience in mind," he said.
 
Adegoke emphasized the importance of enforcing these laws to ensure compliance from developers and builders, and to maintain public awareness and support for flood mitigation efforts. He stressed that well-planned and regulated development is crucial for creating flood-resilient communities.
 
He also highlighted the need for regular maintenance of drainage systems, elevating roads and infrastructure in flood-prone areas, raising awareness about the dangers of blocking drainage channels, and using permeable road construction materials to reduce flood risk. Adegoke added that real-time traffic information during heavy rainfall, the use of flood-resistant materials for road construction, and the enforcement of force majeure clauses in construction contracts could further help mitigate flood risks.
"Finally, developing and implementing comprehensive emergency management and response strategies is essential for effective flood planning," Adegoke concluded.
 
Source: PunchNG

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