Living with pluvial floods: coping and adaptation experiences of households in Atonsu, Ghana

Abstract

Pluvial flooding is a persistent problem in many urban settings where many households are forced to live with it. This study investigated the flood experiences of households and their coping and adaptation strategies in urban Ghana. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach to understand the lived experiences of affected households. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. Findings reveal that households employed key coping strategies, such as fetching water from flooded rooms and the compound, temporary relocation, and placing valuables on higher ground. The adaptation strategies predominantly involved structural defence mechanisms such as building concrete walls and elevated entrances. Previous flood experience, economic status, and neighbourhood attachment were identified as factors that influenced the choice of flood response strategies. Institutional support was equally inadequate due to overreliance on structural defence mechanisms. The study recommends a balanced approach involving structural and non-structural strategies as the panacea to the flood menace.