Abstract:
Major factors of unplanned urbanization that contribute to flood risks are lack of land use regulations, inefficient monitoring of land and house elevations, reduced permeable surfaces, ineffective water governance and insufficient wastewater treatment. The paper argues that unplanned urbanization intensifies flood risks and livelihood vulnerability and may even create new poverty patterns in peri-urban areas. Alternately, urbanization can also strengthen the adaptive capacity of people in flood risk areas by providing more secure employment opportunities. The study relies on a vulnerability index developed from a household survey and rainfall statistics, complemented by household in-depth interviews.
