Anthropogenic Drivers of Floods and Household Adaptations Across the Coastal Wetland Areas of Limbe and Douala IV Municipalities, Cameroon

Abstract

Many coastal wetland areas are experiencing the impacts of accelerated and episodic floods on the built environment and people’s livelihoods. This work examined the anthropogenic drivers of floods and household adaptations in Limbe and Douala IV Municipalities-Cameroon. Data was generated from primary and secondary sources and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 26. Findings revealed that areas between 1-5m such as Clark’s Quarter, Down Beach, Mabanda and Ndobo witnessed severe floods. There was a statistically significant relationship between poor drainage facilities, haphazard settlement construction, blockage of drains by refuge and severe coastal flooding with probabilities values of (0.00582**, 0.0001*** and 0.0888*) respectively. Construction on raised foundation (p = 0.0439**), raising bed higher above the floor (p = 0.0370**), placement of valuable items above the floor (p = 0.0613*) and seasonal migration (p=0. 177) were principal informal adaptation strategies to floods. This study recommends proper land use planning by stakeholders.