Geospatial Insights into Hazard Vulnerabilities: Exploring the Interplay of Hazards and Societal Vulnerability in Damaturu Town, Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the impacts of multiple hazards on household vulnerability and resilience in Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined household surveys (n=1,084), focus group discussions, spatial mapping, and Bayesian statistical modeling, the research provides a multidimensional analysis of disaster risk. Findings reveal that flooding and Boko Haram insurgency are the most destructive hazards, with over 90% of affected households reporting displacement and property loss, while epidemics such as cholera caused the highest health impacts. Socioeconomic disparities, particularly low income and education, significantly increased disaster impacts, as confirmed by regression and ANOVA analyses. Spatial and seasonal patterns indicated that hazard risks are clustered in vulnerable wards such as Nayinawa and Sabon Pegi, with floods concentrated in the rainy season and droughts and fires in the dry Harmattan period. Bayesian and spatial models further highlighted the predictive roles of hazard frequency and severity and identified localized hotspots within a 2.1 km radius. Overall, the study demonstrates that vulnerability in Damaturu is shaped by the intersection of environmental stressors, poverty, and weak institutional capacity. It concludes that disaster risk reduction requires integrated, location-specific strategies that combine socio-economic development, infrastructure investment, and community-based early warning systems.