Page 1 of 3 Next  E. E. Duncan Department of Geomatic Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Ghana edwduncan@yahoo.com Floods are among the most regular and hazardous natural disasters in terms of human suffering and economic losses. Damages from flooding have been increasing each year resulting in loss of lives, property and production as well as affecting activities in the flooded areas. It has been identified that, timely flood forecasts and warning are key elements to aid disaster preparedness, which will in turn reduce flood damages and human sufferings to a great extent. In Ghana, one area of enormous concern to the national disaster team is Alajo a suburb of Accra. The area is located on a lowland region, this has accounted for it frequent flooding catastrophe over the past years. This project quest to utilize Geographic Information System (GIS) to help the national disaster management organization (NADMO) in coming out with emergency plans to manage any disaster should it occur using GIS. GIS represent, for many, an entirely new way of looking at information. Such systems integrate computer hardware, software and data to bring new perspectives to creative problem solving. Accra: the capital of Ghana Accra, capital and largest city of Ghana is situated in the south-east of the Gulf of Guinea, in West Africa. It has been the capital since 1887 and is today one of the most populated fast growing metropolis within Ghana with a population of about 1904000 (Encarta Encyclopaedia, 2004) estimated. The capital is located at the southern part of Ghana. The main form of transportation to the capital is by railway, road and by air. The capital was transferred from cape coast about a century ago with an annual growth of ten per cent. Accra was initially declared a city by the first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961.The city is not only residence of the chief of state but is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region. During the 17th century the Portuguese were forced to withdraw by the Dutch, who, along with the Danes and the English, founded rival trading posts, which became the settlements of Ussher Town, Christianborg, and James Town, respectively.  Fig 1. Alajo and its Surroundings
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