This part covers the methodological approach adopted as part of the present study carried out in the 13th arrondissement of Cotonou. It was based on the collection, the collection technique and the method of processing the data as well as the method of analyzing the results.

The data used in this study are:

All this data was collected through documentary research, investigations and direct observations in a real environment.

The sample used is based on the reasoned choice and the representative nature of the different actors concerned by flooding issues. To this end, the choice of households surveyed meets one of the following criteria:

The defined sample is made up of Agla households divided into two (2) zones (flood zone and non-flood zone) and resource persons from the different structures of the town hall whose activities relate to the fight against floods.

In total, 136 people were surveyed during fieldwork. The study area was divided into two (2) (68 respondents in flood zones and 68 others in non-flood zones). Added to this figure 21 resource people and others.

To determine the minimum sample size to be surveyed, the following formula was usedee:

Ni = (N × Z² × P × (1 − P)) / (Z² × P × (1 − P)) + (N × E²) = 136 (Ni = 136)

With: N: number of target population = 8489 households.

Ni: sample size;

Z: the 95% confidence level = 1.96;

P: the estimated standard proportion = 0.1 (10%);

E: maximum error tolerance = 0.05.

Thus twenty-one (21) people were identified including: two (02) community leaders (Town Hall, DST), one (01) from the Directorate of Prevention and Civil Protection (DPPC), seventeen (17) at the level of public and private health centers and finally one (1) district manager.

The EXCEL software was used to analyze the results collected in the field and made it possible to develop tables and graphs relating to the analysis of social and health data.

After the tables and graphs were drawn up, the graphs were analyzed and commented on. This work was done not only to illustrate the present study, but to make meaningful comparisons on the social and health aspects between flooded areas and those which are not, based on the data collected.

Table 1 shows the domestic damage caused by flooding in Agla with the percentages of people surveyed by area.

The costs expressed in Table 1 were estimated by adding the amounts declared by the respondents, the whole divided by the number of households having declared having endured domestic damage during the floods. This was not taken into account for the comparison; everything suggests that they were poorly evaluated by the households surveyed (undervaluation and/or overvaluation, possible damage). It also appears from this table that 48.5% of respondents in flood-prone areas declared having lost food, 16.1% in non-flood-prone areas. Damage to housing is greater in flood-prone areas (45.5%).

Overall, it appears that the damage is higher in flood-prone areas, however, regarding damage to movable property, it is not significant.

Source: Survey results, June 2011

It appears from the analysis of Table II that the proportion of stagnant water in the courtyards of the concessions of the two zones compared is quite significant, 91.1% in flood zones and 60.3% in non-flood zones. This stagnant water prevents 63.2% of respondents from accessing the bedroom compared to 16.1% in non-flooding areas. Water invades 62.6% of bedrooms in flood-prone areas compared to 13% in non-flood-prone areas, thus pushing 17.6% of households in flood-prone areas to abandon their homes for a while compared to 5.8% in non-flood-prone areas. According to our surveys, only 10.2% of respondents in non-flood areas were prevented from going about their business, the most affected households came from flood areas (30.8%).

This confirms the first hypothesis which states that living conditions are made difficult during floods.

Plate 1 below are some visual supports of the realities on the ground.

Looking at Figure 2 , the observation is that 59.5% of respondents dispose of their household waste poorly. 92.6% also dispose of their wastewater poorly by dumping it either in the compound courtyard, in the street or in puddles. We also note promiscuity with wandering animals of the order of 52.1%.

Despite this grim observation, we can still note certain attitudes considered favorable: 100% of respondents wash their fruits and vegetables before eating them raw. However, this positive result does not mean that the water used to wash fruits and vegetables is healthy. Only 2.4% of respondents declared relieving themselves in nature; we believe that some were not sincere given the presence of excreta during direct observations around certain concessions surveyed.

To illustrate this situation, Plate 2 provides an overview of some realities on the ground.

Figure 3 shows that the most common illnesses among surveyed flood victims are: malaria (52.2%), respiratory infections (38.9%), gastroenteritis 15%, anemia (19 %).

Contrary to what was expected given the unsanitary state, the frequencies of diarrhea and dermatoses are low and are around 9.5% for diarrheal diseases and 5.8% for dermatoses. 97% of households surveyed reported being more vulnerable to diseases during rainy seasons. Health expenses range from 500 to 200,000 FCFA. Average cost 7,500 FCFA

Figure 4 reveals the percentage of respondents’ practices regarding water-related diseases.

From this Figure 4 , we deduce that the practices of going to traditional healers are almost insignificant, only 9 out of 136 respondents or 6.6% are concerned. It is satisfactory to note that 133 respondents, or 97.7%, are following medical treatment, but many admitted that they only go to a health center when the condition they are suffering from becomes complicated, but before arriving at this stage, 90 respondents out of a sample of 136 households, or 66.1%, practice self-medication. Awareness and information campaigns on water-related diseases, carried out by health workers, television, radio, etc., affected 83.7% of households surveyed, which is an encouraging figure. It should be noted that all levels (from the poor household to the most well-off) were affected by these practices.

We find through Figure 5 and Table 3 the direct observation made in the field on the living conditions of the households surveyed during the floods.

It appears from Figure 5 that stagnant water covers most of the concession courses in both flood-prone and non-flood-prone areas. The observation showed that 21.3% of the courses surveyed are ¼ covered with stagnant water. 23.4% were covered by more than ¼ of stagnant water. In 80.1% of the concessions surveyed, they are covered with puddles of more or less polluted water. 83% of the VRDs located around the concessions surveyed were in poor condition. The presence of this stagnant water on the tracks is annoying for 16% of users and prevents 30.1% of respondents from using the track.

The actual presence of the aforementioned impacts confirms the 3rd hypothesis according to which households in flood-prone areas are more affected than those in non-flood-prone areas.

Flood-prone areas are the most affected. Plate 3 below illustrates some of the consequences that result from stagnant water.

Presentation of the plan

This is an emergency program initiated by the Cotonou town hall since 2003 to relieve flood victims. The objectives of this program are, among others:

The program has three (3) essential phases of intervention, namely:

The preventive phase during which the following operations are carried out:

The curative phase during which the following operations are carried out:

The phase after the main rainy season during which the following operations take place:

To achieve these objectives mentioned above, an intervention and organizational framework.

was put in place for flood management. For the organization of the intervention, the city of Cotonou was divided into five (05) zones, each having a Command Post (CP) which coordinates the interventions in each zone.