THE ROLE OF EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE DURING THE INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION ON THE 2012 NIGERIA FLOOD DISASTER

摘要

Although the year 2012 flood in Nigeria is the worst flood ever to have devastated the country in the last fifty years it wasn't the only flood disaster, notable ones are also the 2010 and 2011 flood. The 2012 flood displaced tens of thousands of people and affected over half of the thirty six states destroying properties running into billions of naira. Farmlands and fertilizers were destroyed, settlements were totally submerged and cultural artifacts were lost. The flood was the result of many underlying factors of which the main ones were the release of water from the Lagdo Dam a reservoir located in Cameroon, and persistent rain fall due to a changing global climate. In response to the flood, a UN-CHARTER was invoked and satellite images were provided by various international space agencies. Likewise organizations such as the World Bank, and various UN agencies together with national stakeholders collaborated in the post disaster recovery efforts. The use of space technology during the response proved to be of great economic benefit particularly in the assessment of the extent of the disaster which assisted the government in its reconstruction efforts. Also the foray of Nigeria into space technologies has opened up its economy in diverse ways especially in the areas of local and international collaborations, employment creation and technological spinoffs.