Assessing effects of informal urban settlements on the frequency of floods of Lingadzi river in Lilongwe, Malawi

Abstract

Urban low-income households in informal settlements located in floodplains are highly susceptible to natural disasters. Regardless there is lack of information on how the growth of the settlements affects flood frequency in urban areas of Malawi. This study was carried out to assess the effect of informal urban settlements on flood frequency along the Lingadzi River where the river passes through urban informal settlements of Mtandire on the right bank and Area 49 Shire on the left bank. A quantitative research design was applied, the Settlements of Mtandire and Area 49 were purposely selected while households living around the river were randomly selected from a sample size of 222. Data was collected through, household surveys, interviews, and the United States Geological Survey website (USGS). Results show that housing in the settlements is mostly characterized by single-story and standalone housing with simple architectural designs covering small areas, constructed from low quality iron sheets, and wall material. Results have also shown the presence of settlements in the delineated 10, 50, and 100-year flood inundation maps of Lingadzi River covering Mtandire, Area 49, Mtsiliza and Area 47. Further, results indicate that community perception incline towards flood occurrence changing in the area with annual flood occurrence since 2016/17 rain season. The study concludes that construction of low-quality housing in flood-prone zones, close to the river banks has an impact on increased level of vulnerability to natural disasters such as flooding in the settlements. Recommendations are made for serious investment in sensitization campaign and enforcement of existing laws and regulations from all stakeholders and authorities involved.