Abstract
Flooding can potentially increase the spread of water-borne diseases. The relationship between
flooding and outbreaks of infectious diseases is likely to be high. Flooding has a wide range of
health consequences such as injury, an outbreak of gastroenteritis, respiratory infections,
poisoning, communicable diseases, epidemic diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and dengue fever,
poor mental health, and disability, among others but in this study, we focus solely on infectious
diseases. Six (6) communities were selected for the study based on accessibility. The communities
are; (Ribadu, Rugange, Koh, Boranji, Murgarang, Ngwalang), Three hundred (300) households
were randomly selected; 50 from each community. From each household, the heads were presented
with the copy of the questionnaire to fill. In any household where the head is not literate, the content
of the questions will be read to the respondent for guidance. This is continued until a sample size
is obtain. Water sample was collected for isolation and identification of water-borne diseases in
the affected communities. The findings of the research show that all the 300 households selected
for the study were successfully interviewed using a structured questionnaire with a household
response rate of 100 percent. Households whose Houses were affected by the Flood, revealed that
Koh community of Girei local government has the highest proportion of houses impacted by the
floods with (70.0 percent) of houses completely affected, followed by Ngwalang community of
Numan local government (60.0 percent). However, Rugange community of Yola south local
government was most partially impacted by floods with (40.0 percent) having their house affected.
Households toilet system in the research communities, shows that majority of the households has
no toilet system with (55.3 percent) and preferred open defecation, followed by (33.0 percent)
households that managed pit toilet system and few of the respondent with flushed type (6.3 percent),
bucket type (5.4 percent). Households sources of water is from the River with (44.7 percent).
Distribution of Households by Type of Disease Outbreak Due to Flood(s), the types of diseases
experienced by households after the 2024 flood, Water-borne diseases, such as cholera, dysentery,
and typhoid (78.3 percent), followed by air borne diseases with 13.7 percent and the lowest Climate
related diseases with 8.0 percent, were most commonly reported. Pathogens and Pollutant Isolated
and identify in the research Communities through the major sources of water (River) are Shown in
Table 10, which leads to the spread of diseases among the households in the riverine communities
in Adamawa State.