LEARNING FROM GLOBAL DISASTER LABORATORIES PART 7A: FLOODS

1. LEARNING FROM GLOBAL DISASTER LABORATORIESPART 7A: FLOODS Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA 

2. FLOODING • Flooding occurs somewhere in the world approximately 10,000 times every day as the consequences of a locale having more water than the local water cycle can process within its physical limits.

3. FLOODS • Floods occur as the result of: extreme levels of precipitation in thunderstorms, tropical storms, typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones; in storm surges, and in tsunami wave run up.

4. FLOODING ALSO TRIGGERS LANDSLIDES THAT CAN ALSO CAUSE A DISASTER (see part 9)

5. CAUSES OF RISK LOSS OF FUNCTION OF STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAIN INUNDATION INTERACTION WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STRUCTURAL/CONTENTS DAMAGE FROM WATER FLOODS WATER BORNE DISEASES (HEALTH PROBLEMS) FLOOD DISASTER LABORATORIES EROSION AND MUDFLOWS CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER

6. “FLOOD LABORATORY”:SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH; 1983 • Unusual flood waters from the annual Spring runoff were diverted down Main Street

7. MIDWEST USA FLOOD LABORATORY: JUNE-AUGUST 1993 • THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN COVERS 1.25 MILLION SQUARE MILES • IT COLLECTS WATER FROM 40 PERCENT OF THE UNITED STATES

9. The Great Flood of 1993 was the most costly and devas-tating flood in modern history in the United States. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS: GREAT FLOOD OF 1993

10. CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA FLOOD LABORATORY: JUNE 13, 2008

11. Inundation

12. . Inundation: ST LOUIS, MO; JUNE 20, 2008

13. Inundated towns, cities, homes, schools, businesses, and farms, lost crops and long-term loss of productivity of farm land, loss of function of roads and bridges SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

14. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS (continued) • loss of function of bridges and utility systems • Thirty-eight thousand evacuees • Regional business interruption • loss of tourism

15. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS (continued) • long-term clean-up (removal of debris, sewage, garbage, and 10-million sandbags) • Drying out of houses and businesses and their contents, • Rebuilding of houses and levees.

16. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS (continued) • Disposal of damaged home systems (e.g., refrigerators), • Restoration of water quality in wells and municipal water systems • Restoration of functions of schools and universities.

17. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS (continued) • Restoration of millions of acres of prime farm land. • Rebuilding of cities such as Cedar Rapids, Iowa (estimates reach at least $1 billion).

18. Restoration of millions of acres of prime farm land. Rebuilding of cities such as Cedar Rapids, Iowa (estimates reach at least $1 billion). SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

19. After weeks of flooding in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Wisconsin, the region faced billions of dollars in losses and a long recovery period. ECONOMIC IMPACTS

20. FLOOD LABORATORY IN CHINA Guangdong, Sichuan,Ghizhou, and Fujian Provinces impacted May 27-June 15, 2008

21. “FLOOD LABORATORY” IN CHINA Guangdong, Sichuan,Ghizhou, and Fujian Provinces impacted JUNE 15, 2008

23. Runoff after several weeks of rain pushed the Xijiang and Beijiang Rivers over their banks in southern China, displacing more than 1.27 million people. FLOODING IN SOUTHERN CHINA

24. FLOODING: GUIZHOU PROVINCE; MAY 27

25. FUJIAN RIVER: JUNE 6

26. FLOODING: GUANGDONG PROVINCE; JUNE 15

27. The impacts: 57 dead, tens of thousands of collapsed homes, damaged crops across more than 2.12 million acres, and $1.5 billion or more in economic losses. SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

28. NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, AND MINNESOTA FLOOD LABORATORY MARCH - APRIL 2009

29. “FLOOD LABORATORY:” MIDWEST USA

30. REASONS FOR FLOODING: The flooding was triggered by: 1) A long, snowy and icy winter, followed by 2) An earlier than normal, rapid Spring melt and runoff.

31. ICY RED RIVER BEGINS TO MELT

32. MAKING 1 MILLION SAND BAGS:

33. REMEMBERING RECORD FLOODS IN NORTHWEST ENGLAND(WITH SEVERE FLOOD WARNINGS IN SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND)NOVEMBER 19-21, 2009

34. LOCATION OF CUMBRIA, ENGLAND

35. AERIAL VIEW OF COLLAPSED BRIDGE: CUMBRIA AREA

36. COLLAPSED BRIDGE: CUMBRIA AREA

37. FLOODING: CUMBRIA AREA

38. FLOODING: CUMBRIA AREA

39. FLOODING: COCKERMOUTH

40. FLOODING: CUMBRIA AREA

41. FLOODING: CUMBRIA AREA

42. FLOODING: CUMBRIA AREA

43. RESCUE: CUMBRIA AREA

44. RESCUE: CUMBRIA AREA

45. RESCUE: CUMBRIA AREA

46. LESSON: THE KNOWLEDGE AND TIMING OF ANTICIPATORY ACTIONS IS VITAL • The people who know: 1) what to expect (e.g., inundation from extreme precipitation, storm surge, tsunami wave run up),2) where and when impacts will happen, and 3) what they should (and should not) do to prepare for them will survive.

47. LESSON: TIMELY, REALISTIC DISASTER SCENARIOS SAVE LIVES • The people who have timely, realistic, advance information that facilitates reduction of vulnerabilities, and hence the risks associated with floods will survive.

48. LESSON: EMERGENCY RESPONSE SAVES LIVES • The timing of emergency response operations, especially the search and rescue operations that are limited to “the golden 48 hours,” will increase the likelihood of survival.

49. LESSON: EMERGENCY MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS SAVES LIVES • The local community’s capacity for emergency health care (i,e., coping with damaged hospitals and medical facilities, lack of clean drinking water, food, and medicine to treat water borne diseases, and high levels of morbidity and mortality) is vital for survival.

50. LESSON: ENGINEERED INFRASTRUCTURE SAVE LIVES • Infrastructure engineered to withstand the risks from floods (e.g., damage, failure, and loss of function), is vital for survival.