The Devastating Effect of Gully Erosion Menace on Urban Infrastructures in Calabar Metropolis, Nigeria
Gully erosion is caused by several factors such as heavy rainfall, industrial construction, poor drainage system and deforestation were overtime resulted in loosening the soil structure and expose it to vagaries of agents of erosion. The study was aimed at assessing the effect of gully erosion menace on urban infrastructures in Calabar metropolis. Data for the research were collected using a structured questionnaire, handheld, measuring tape, leveling staff and rope. The coordinates of gully erosion sites and the affected infrastructure were obtained from the field using the Global positioning system (GPS). Findings revealed that the total length and average width of each of the gullies as at 2015 were 385m and 20m for Ikot Anwantim, 1925m and 43m for Ikot Udauk, 3995m and 68m for Ikot Nkebre, 721m and 40 for Etinym Abasi, 1430m and 48m for EdimOtop and 1700m and 28m for Ekeya respectively. Also 18 houses were destroyed at Ekeya gully site. Seventy respondents attributed the impact of gully erosion menace in urban infrastructure to be the collapse of buildings with 35 percent. The researcher recommended that public awareness programme sensitization be undertaken to discourage the inhabitants from developing areas prone to gully erosion.
