A Systematic Approach to Disaster Vulnerability Assessment in Kano Region, Nigeria

This study assesses the vulnerability of households to natural disaster in Kano Region, Nigeria. To obtain a representative sample, the region was divided into three agro-ecological zones based on isohyets limits with zone 1 within 500-650 mm annual rainfall, zone 2, + 650-800 mm and zone 3, +800–1000 mm. Data was collected from each zone by interview of house¬holds and disaster management officers covering issues such as disaster occurrence, impact of the most recent disaster and coping strategies. A total of 150 households in each of the zones were selected through stratified sampling and eight officers of different ranks from disaster management agency. The data was analyzed to determine variation in vulnerability between the zones. To determine comparable measure of coping strength between the zones, an index of the relative strength of coping measures at each zone was calculated. The result indicated a marked difference in the disaster occur¬rences and ranking between the zones as well between the household and disaster management institution. Further, results also indicated variations between the zones in coping strength and vulnerability index which implies varying local coping capacities. The study recommends that there should be a risk transfer mechanisms whereby those in hazard prone areas are protected against potentially large losses from disasters by undertaking extra measures to reduce the post financial consequences.