This document provides an overview of flood disaster management operations in Benue State, Nigeria in 2012 and lessons learned. It discusses the major flood that occurred, the local government areas affected, and damage caused. Observations are presented on the response efforts, including prompt community rescue missions and relief aid but poor coordination, limited assistance outside camps, and lack of comprehensive record keeping. Challenges are identified like weak intersectoral coordination and limited local capacity. Recommendations include developing an emergency preparedness and response plan, improving early warning systems, and strengthening inter-sectoral collaboration. The importance of protecting vulnerable groups like children and women during disasters is also highlighted.

1. FLOOD DISASTER MANAGEMENT
OPERATIONS IN BENUE STATE
2012: LESSONS LEARNT
A PRESENTATION BY SMOH DURING THE 2-DAY CONSULTATIVE
WORKSHOP ON POSSIBLE 2013 FLOOD PREVENTION, MITIGATION,
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

2. OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• CATEGORIES OF DISASTERS
• DIFINITION OF TERMS
• DETERMINANTS OF VULNERABILITY
• PHASES OF DISASTER (DISASTER CYCLE)
• IMPACTS OF DISASTERS ON HEALTH
• HEALTH OBJECTIVES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT
• DISASTER HEALTH PLAN
• EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
• POST DISASTER EVALUATION

3. INTRODUCTION
• Two major forms of catastrophes which include natural
and man-made which can be sudden or slow in onset.
• Likewise is the documentation on the ranging vulnerability
of human species to the various form of these disasters
are clear.
• The worst disaster was Tsunami which occurred in
December 2004 during which 155,000 people were
reportedly killed.
• The dangers caused by disasters is no longer an issue of
debate.
• Greater effort have now been shifted in to preventing
them as well as reducing their impacts than any other
measure.
• Sadly, modern pattern of living leave us more vulnerable
than the systems of the past and the damages turn to be
more severe.

4. INTRODUCTION ctd
• Formal disaster detection/prediction methods can no
longer be relied upon due to rapidly changing global
systems and incessant man- made disaster events.
• Disaster warnings are complicated by mass hysteria and
psychological problems.
• In Africa, disasters have strong man-made origins and are
closely linked with social and economic development.
• Dealing with disasters need overall national development,
institutional strengthening and community participation.
• This improves technical expertise that can reduce loss of
lives, injuries, property damage and socio-economic and
ecological disruptions.

5. CATEGORIES OF DISASTER
1. METEOROLOGICAL: Based on weather eg Floods, Hurricanes,
Storms
2. TOPOGRAPHICAL: Based on landscapes eg Land slides/Mod
slides, Avalanches
3. EPIDEMICS: High case fatality rate diseases eg Cholera, Lassa
fever, Meningitis, HIV/AIDS
4. INFESTATION: Crops destruction eg Locust invasion, Quiver birds
5. TECHTONIC AND TELLORICS: Based on natural forces eg
Earthquakes, Vulcanic eruptions.
6. MAN-MADE: Due to human activities and actions eg
 Wars
 Civil Upheaval
 Explosions
 Large scale accidents/fires outbreaks
 Structural failures like collapse of buildings and mines

6. DIFINITION OF TERMS
• DISASTER: Events that occur where significant
number of people are exposed to hazards to
which they are vulnerable with resulting injuries
and loss of life often combined with damage to
property and livelihood.
This means any occurrence that causes damage,
ecological disruption, loss of human lives and
deterioration of health and health services on a
scale sufficient to warrant extraordinary response
from outside the affected community (WHO).

7. DIFINITIONS ctd
• HAZARD/THREAT: A phenomenon or substance that has
the potential to cause destruction to human population
and environment.
• SUSCEPTIBILITY: Factors operating in a community that
allows a hazard to cause a disaster (eg Living near a
River)
• VULNERABILITY: Degree to which a population is unable
to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the
impact of a disaster.
• MITIGATION: Measures taken in a disaster aimed at
minimising its impacts.
• PREVENTION: Activities designed to provide permanent
protection from disaster.

8. DIFINITION ctd
• RESILIENCE: Communities ability to withstand or recover from
disasters.
• INTERNALLY DISPLACED POPULATION: Forced movement of
people to another place without crossing an international
boundary.
• REFUGEES: Forced movement of people to another place by
crossing an international boundary.
• Emergency – a sudden crisis situation or event requiring
immediate action
• Risk – possibility or chance of suffering loss, injury and
damage

9. DETERMINANTS OF VULNERABILITY
• This could be based on various factors in the affected community
eg
1. State of development of community affected
2. Level of economy
3. Geography
4. Location
5. Scale of the disaster
6. Multi-ethnicity
7. Instability
8. State of preparedness.
9. Degree of response (Lack, Little, Late response)
10. Resources available.
11. State of medical preparedness.
12. Information.

10. PHASES OF DISASTER
• Non disaster phase: Long before disaster occurs. Time
for prevention, preparedness and planning to promote
wellbeing.
• Pre-disaster phase: Warning time just before disaster
occurs. Marking of potential areas and possible
evacuation, vulnerability analysis, inventory of existing
resources, information, education, training the
community.
• Impact phase: Occurrence of disaster and destruction.
• Rescue emergency phase: Time for appropriate rescue
and relief actions with coordination.
• Recovery phase: Period of repair and rehabilitation,
lessons learnt, evaluation and auditing.

11. IMPACTS OF DISASTER ON HEALTH
• The potential health problems do not occur at the same time
and may vary in importance. Disasters can be considered a
public health problem based on the following:
1. High toll of mortality.
2. Massive morbidity needing immediate medical care
3. Imposes hysteria and other psychological disorders
4. Places intolerable heath burden on the community.
5. Disrupts the provision of routine health services and
preventive measures.
6. Adverse effects on the environment and the community
leading to upsurge of diseases.

12. Impacts ctd
7. Social disruptions leading to transmission of STI
and AIDS
8. Shortage of food with severe nutritional
consequences.
9. Predisposes to massive migration, overcrowding
and lowered standard of water and sanitation.
10. Causes large spontaneous population
movement to areas where health services can
not cope.
11. Importation of new disease from new
settlement or external relief workers.

13. HEALTH OBJECTIVES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT
• This is not done in isolation but in synergy with other
sectors. They include immediate, short term and long
term.
 Development of hospital disaster plan.
 Coordination of health services.
 Prevention of mortality.
 Provide care for casualties.
 Prevent exposure to adverse climatic conditions.
 Prevent outbreak of communicable diseases.
 Re-establishment of normal health services.
 Reconstruction/renovation of affected facilities.

14. HEALTH PLAN
• The health plan should provide for:
1. Patients and staff safety.
2. Strategies and technicalities of dealing with
mass casualties.
3. Development of standard protocols and
algorithms for use
4. Staff alert recall and redeployment
5. Information and communication networks
6. Health activity coordination
7. Search, rescue and aid
.

15. HEALTH PLAN ctd
8. Equipments and supplies
9. Transport to facility
10. Patients redistribution to Hospitals
11. Protection of food items
12. Vector control
13. Safe water and sanitation
14. Disease control and surveillance

16. FLOOD DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN
BENUE
2012
OPERATIONS

17. BENUE FLOOD: BRIEF INTRODUCTION
• It seems the gases being pumped into the air are having
unintended consequences due to climatic change.
• The flood was the worst natural disaster ever recorded in the
history of Benue.
• Due to release of excess water from the Lagdo Dam in the
Republic of Cameroun.
• Pre-disaster warnings were given but many persisted staying
back.
• River Benue was overflooded.
• LGAs affected were Logo, Guma, Makurdi, Gwer West and
Agatu. Worst hit were those living around the river banks.
• Caused colossal damages to crops, farmlands, houses, roads,
bridges and culverts.
• Imposed agonies , hysteria and psychological torture on
victims.

18. OBSERVATIONS ON 2012 FLOOD DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN
BENUE
• Community members themselves were prompt in rescue
missions.
• Immediate response was prompt from governments and NGOs.
• Family support was clearly exhibited along family ties and friends
accommodating significant percentage of victims.
• Camps were established to restore wellbeing among vulnerable
population.
• Health service response was adequate and without delay.
• Condoms were distributed to prevent HIV/AIDS and STIs
• Distribution of food items and relief materials were prompt and
adequate but only mostly in the Makurdi camps.
• Philanthropy was low.
• Many items were not donated through SEMA.

19. OBSERVATIONS ctd
• Less attention was given to victims outside Makurdi LGA
• Communication was poor among relief Agencies.
• Though the flood was short-lived, activities were poorly
coordinated by SEMA.
• Transport of victims to the camps was mostly not assisted.
• Most sick victims who received treatment beyond the
camp clinics incurred out of pocket expenditures.
• Gender was not mainstreamed.
• Records were poorly generated and kept on donated
items, Donors, utilisation, camp registration of both
victims and relief workers.
• No proper analysis of data was conducted for knowledge
management.
• Affected community-specific post disaster surveillance was
not in place.

20. Challenges of EPR in Benue
• Weak intersectoral linkages and coordination
• Inadequate logistics, infrastructure, supplies
and other inputs to attain results
• Weak sectoral data availability at State and
LGA levels
• Limited development of LGA systems and
capacities
• Limited generation of lessons for good
practices at communities for replication in the
entire LGA.

21. Recommendations
• SEMA to develop a holistic EPR Plan for the State.
• Disseminate plan
• Determine coordination structures.
• Identify and list partners.
• Establish networks
• Assess Hazard, risk and vulnerability and advise Govt
• Determine response mechanisms and strategies
• Improve on Information Management
• Early forecast/warning systems and early precautions
• Effect early resources mobilization
• Public education, training & rehearsals
• Community-based disaster preparedness plan
• Strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration
• Evacuation of settlements out of risky sites.
• Improvements of the drainage system in Makurdi
• Education of disaster-prone communities.

22. Why worry about children and
women?
• Children and Women make up the majority of
the population
• Children and Women are often the hardest hit
during emergencies
• Physical and Psychological damage suffered
due to emergencies, especially in childhood
impedes development and so perpetuates the
poverty cycle.
• Children and women are mostly dependent.

23. THANK
YOU