Socio-economic Approach to Microscale Flood Damage Assessment in a Lakeshore Community
This study sought to determine microscale damage estimates of the largest flood event in the history of the municipality of Jabonga in the province of Agusan del Norte. Jabonga is a lakeside municipality adjacent to Lake Mainit, the fourth largest lake in the Philippines. The study sought to determine flood-prone areas in the municipality, characterize the flood event that occurred in the site from December 2010 to March 2011, estimate actual and potential damage for different flood scenarios, and determine variables that are significantly related to flood vulnerability and flood damage.
A total of 870 households were surveyed. In the flood hazard zone, livelihood areas, particularly farms, are inundated for a month on average. Some houses are also inundated for about the same duration. Inundation time at the municipality scale is shorter. Results showed that the municipality is vulnerable, with about 90 percent of the damage to livelihood coming from the agriculture sector. Damage to the house, properties or belongings inside the house, and health also constitute significant costs.