ABSTRACT
Both natural and human-induced disaster has spatial attribute therefore, application of remotely sensed data is indispensable for disaster risk management. This article focuses on the harnessing/utilization of modern technology in the identification and management of disaster risk in Lake Chad region of North Eastern Nigeria. Lake Chad (French: LacTchad) is a vast land area of fresh water located in the middle of Sand dunes which covers territories in four countries: Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Field survey, satellite images, rainfall from Tropical Applications of Meteorology using Satellite data and ground-based observations (TAMSAT) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) were the materials and methods used for the study. QGIS, MS Excel and descriptive statistics techniques used for the data analysis. The results of the analysis revealed great reduction in the inflow of water into the lake and heavy accumulation of sediments with increased in vegetation loss. The results further shows that the lake is shrinking (14% in two decades) at a very fast rate and most species of fauna and flora have drastically reduced or completely disappeared along the lake fringes. In view of the growing competition for natural resources from the lake and its environs which gave birth to various forms of disasters such as farmer-herder conflict, communal clashes, migration and now terrorism, there is greater need to employ the use of modern technology that provide visualization of disaster risk zones as well as the impact zones for better management.
