Page 37 - Research Report 2025.1

Floods
Flooding emerges as one of the most frequent and destructive disasters affecting the district. Participants consistently referred to the regularity and devastating impact of floods,both on physical infrastructure and agricultural productivity.This recurring issue is aggravated by the changing climate, which intensifies the frequency and severity of such events. Participant 1 emphasises the vulnerability of infrastructure,particularly roads,which are routinely destroyed by flooding.This observation points to a crucial infrastructure deficit in rural areas, where roads are not built to withstand extreme weather conditions. The repeated destruction of roads interrupts transportation, isolates communities, and limits access to essential services such as markets, healthcare, and education, thereby exacerbating poverty and hindering economic development.
Moreover, the impact on food security is a significant concern. Participant 2 highlights the effect of floods on agricultural activities, noting that recurring flooding events damage crops and reduce yields, thereby threatening food availability. The damage to crops not only affects immediate food security but also undermines the economic sustainability of households that rely on
agriculture for both subsistence and income. These findings suggest an urgent need for climate-resilient
agricultural practices and flood mitigation strategies, such as improved irrigation systems, flood barriers, and early warning systems, to protect both infrastructure and agricultural productivity.
Participant 1
The natural disasters. For instance, a municipality will construct an access road, and, due to climate change and natural disasters, the floods will come and sweep that particular access road away.
Participant 2
There have been the various forms Maybe, I must make mention of that that some sections of, Alfred ndzo Are prone to different disaster. You have your Ntabankulu side, and the mbizana, which is I think it’s winnie madikizela mandela that are always having a hail problem.
In every 2 years, we experienced that. Hail gets out of control, and it it impacts on the quality and the availability of food that is, that is, in the fields. So it threatens somehow food security.
Participant 3
Participant 5
In the past, there has been a
trend to the flood, Alfred Ndzo.
There have been other disasters that have happened”. “The most recurring disaster is flood, lightning, and so on.
Participant 7
Heavy winds, heavy rains, floods, runaway fires... because of this low social economic standard, people are vulnerable.
Focus group Participant
When it comes to floods, every year, we experience floods. I think it’s mainly due to climate change.” Yes. I think moreover in relation to these floods, remember, these floods we often bring up is often as a result of torrential rain.
We have e floods as a hazard. Yeah. That affected people and then that caused the disaster. We identified in floods, as one of the hazards that cause disaster.
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