Household flood vulnerability and temporary relocation in resource-scarce urban Accra

Abstract

Existing research on climate-related human mobility centres on population vulnerability, yet gaps remain in examining how sociodemographic factors shape household mobility outcomes. This research uses household survey data from two resource-poor urban communities prone to perineal flooding to explore the major components and indicators of flood vulnerability (adaptive capacity, sensitivity and exposure) that influence the temporary relocation of households. The results show besides water and sanitation, community vulnerability significantly varied by livelihood strategies, social capital, health status, food insecurity, and climate variability exposure. Further analysis reveals that while stronger social ties and better sociodemographic profiles (components of households’ adaptive capacity) are protective against temporary relocation, household food insecurity (a component of sensitivity) has the reverse effect. Additionally, migrants, compared with non-migrants, were more likely to relocate during floods. This study highlights the need for policy responses to be differentiated between the different components of vulnerability that affect the mobility of households experiencing floods.