notable historic floods in europe walter hays, global alliance for disaster reduction, university of...

NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS IN EUROPE

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

FLOODSFLOODS

HAZARDSHAZARDSHAZARDSHAZARDS

ELEMENTS OF RISKELEMENTS OF RISKELEMENTS OF RISKELEMENTS OF RISK

EXPOSUREEXPOSUREEXPOSUREEXPOSURE

VULNERABILITYVULNERABILITYVULNERABILITYVULNERABILITY LOCATIONLOCATIONLOCATIONLOCATION

RISKRISKRISKRISK

FLOOD HAZARDS (AKA

POTENTIAL DISASTER AGENTS)

• Too much water inserted too quickly in the regional drainage system to be accommodated normally by physical processes related to the water cycle.

• Inundation• Erosion• Scour• Mudflows

LOSS OF FUNCTION OF STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAIN

FLOODSFLOODS

INUNDATION

INTERACTION WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

STRUCTURAL/CONTENTS DAMAGE FROM WATER

WATER BORNE DISEASES (HEALTH PROBLEMS)

EROSION AND MUDFLOWS

CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER

CAUSES OF RISK

CAUSES OF RISK

CASE HISTORIESCASE HISTORIES

DAMAGE DAMAGE INJURIESINJURIESDAMAGE DAMAGE INJURIESINJURIES

UNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISKUNACCEPTABLE RISK

COLLAPSE COLLAPSE DEATHSDEATHS

COLLAPSE COLLAPSE DEATHSDEATHS

LOSS OF LOSS OF FUNCTIONFUNCTIONLOSS OF LOSS OF FUNCTIONFUNCTION ECONOMIC LOSSECONOMIC LOSSECONOMIC LOSSECONOMIC LOSS

RISKRISKRISKRISK

EUROPEANEUROPEAN

CITIESCITIES

EUROPEANEUROPEAN

CITIESCITIESDATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATIONDATA BASES DATA BASES AND INFORMATIONAND INFORMATION

HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS

•HAZARDS•INVENTORY•VULNERABILITY•LOCATION

RISK ASSESSMENTRISK ASSESSMENT

RISK

ACCEPTABLE RISK

UNACCEPTABLE RISK

GOAL: FLOOD DISASTER GOAL: FLOOD DISASTER RESILIENCERESILIENCE

•PROTECTION•PEPAREDNESS•EARLY WARNING•EMERGENCY RESPONSE•RECOVERY

FIVE PILLARS OF FIVE PILLARS OF RESILIENCERESILIENCE

SOME OF EUROPE’S RECENT NOTABLE FLOODS

MODERATE TO LOW MORTALITY AND HIGH

ECONOMIC LOSSES

MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS IN EUROPE

MAJOR RIVER SYSTEMS IN EUROPE

• SHANNON• THAMES• SEINE• RHINE

• SHANNON• THAMES• SEINE• RHINE

• TAGUS• RHONE• PO• DANUBE• ELBE• VISTULA

• TAGUS• RHONE• PO• DANUBE• ELBE• VISTULA

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1910 GREAT FLOOD OF PARIS: FRANCE

• 1910 GREAT FLOOD OF PARIS: FRANCE

• DEATHS: NONE, BUT $1.5 BILLION MODERN USD

• DEATHS: NONE, BUT $1.5 BILLION MODERN USD

THE SEINE RIVER FLOODED CENTRAL PARIS: 1910

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1928 THAMES RIVER FLOOD: UNITED KINGDOM

• 1928 THAMES RIVER FLOOD: UNITED KINGDOM

• DEATHS: 14 DROWNED AND 1000’S HOMELESS

• DEATHS: 14 DROWNED AND 1000’S HOMELESS

THE THAMES RIVER FLOODED CENTRAL LONDON: 1928

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1953 NORTH SEA FLOOD: NETHERLANDS AND UNITED KINGDOM

• 1953 NORTH SEA FLOOD: NETHERLANDS AND UNITED KINGDOM

• DEATHS:

2,142• DEATHS:

2,142

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1959 MALPASSET DAM FAILURE: FRANCE

• 1959 MALPASSET DAM FAILURE: FRANCE

• DEATHS: 421

• DEATHS: 421

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1962 NORTH SEA FLOOD

• 1962 NORTH SEA FLOOD

• DEATHS: 315

• DEATHS: 315

8

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1962 BARCELONA FLASH FLOOD: SPAIN

• 1962 BARCELONA FLASH FLOOD: SPAIN

• DEATHS: 919

• DEATHS: 919

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1963 VAJONT FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE: ITALY

• 1963 VAJONT FLOOD AND LANDSLIDE: ITALY

• DEATHS: 1,909

• DEATHS: 1,909

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1967 LISBON FLASH FLOOD

• 1967 LISBON FLASH FLOOD

• DEATHS: 404

• DEATHS: 404

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1993, 1994, and 1995 RHINE RIVER FLOODS: NETHERLANDS

• 1993, 1994, and 1995 RHINE RIVER FLOODS: NETHERLANDS

• DEATHS: 4; 1,000,000 CATTLE EVACUATED; LOSSES IN TENS OF MILLIONS USD

• DEATHS: 4; 1,000,000 CATTLE EVACUATED; LOSSES IN TENS OF MILLIONS USD

NOTE: THE NETHERLANDS IS IN REALITY A DELTA OF

THE RHINE RIVER

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1997 MILLENIUM FLOOD: POLAND AND CZECH. REPUBLIC

• 1997 MILLENIUM FLOOD: POLAND AND CZECH. REPUBLIC

• DEATHS: 98

• DEATHS: 98

8

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 1998 SARNO FLOOD AND AVALANCHE: ITALY

• 1998 SARNO FLOOD AND AVALANCHE: ITALY

• DEATHS: 159

• DEATHS: 159

8

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2007 UNITED KINGDOM FLOODS: UK

• 2007 UNITED KINGDOM FLOODS: UK

• DEATHS: 13

• DEATHS: 13

8

MAP OF FLOODS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ENGLAND: 15-21 JULY

FLOOD IN TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND: JULY 22

FLOOD IN TEWKESBURY, ENGLAND: JULY 22

FLOOD IN GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND: JULY 25

FLOOD IN HENLY ON THE THAMES: JULY 25

FLOOD IN OXFORD AREA: JULY 25

SANDBAGGING IN OXFORD: JULY 25

SANDBAGGING: JULY 25

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2009 ISTHANBUL FLOODS: TURKEY

• 2009 ISTHANBUL FLOODS: TURKEY

• DEATHS: 37

• DEATHS: 37

8

FLASH FLOODS IN TURKEY

FLASH FLOODS IN TURKEY

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2010 MADEIRA FLASH FLOOD: PORTUGAL

• 2010 MADEIRA FLASH FLOOD: PORTUGAL

• DEATHS: 42

• DEATHS: 42

LOCATION OF MADEIRA

WHAT HAPPENED

The worst storm to hit Madeira since 1993 lashed the south of the

Atlantic Ocean island, including the capital, Funchal, Saturday,

turning some streets into torrents of mud, water and debris.

WHAT HAPPENED (continued)

The flash floods were so powerful they carved paths down

mountains and ripped through the city, churning under some bridges

and tearing others down.

FEBRUARY 21: FLASH FLOOD

FEBRUARY 21

FEBRUARY 21

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

EUROPE’S NOTABLE HISTORIC FLOODS

• 2010 CENTRAL EUROPE FLOODS: POLAND, GERMANY, CZECH, REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, ETC

• 2010 CENTRAL EUROPE FLOODS: POLAND, GERMANY, CZECH, REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, ETC

• DEATHS: 37

• DEATHS: 37

8

POLAND AND VISTULA RIVER

RIVERS BURST BANKS AND BREACHED DAMS IN

CENTRAL EUROPE AFTER WEEKS OF RAIN

MAY – JUNE, 2010

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR BECOMING FLOOD DISASTER RESILIENT

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR BECOMING FLOOD DISASTER RESILIENT

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION

• REAL TIME WEATHER FORCASTING AND WARNING SYSTEMS

• MEASURMENT TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., STREAM GAGUES)

• RISK MODELING (E.G., HAZUS, INSURANCE UNDERWRITING)

• REAL TIME WEATHER FORCASTING AND WARNING SYSTEMS

• MEASURMENT TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., STREAM GAGUES)

• RISK MODELING (E.G., HAZUS, INSURANCE UNDERWRITING)

• DATABASES • MAPS: 100-YEAR AND

500-YEAR FLOODS• FLOOD DISASTER

SCENARIOS• MONITORING BY

DRONE PLANES• HAZMAT

MANAGEMENT

• DATABASES • MAPS: 100-YEAR AND

500-YEAR FLOODS• FLOOD DISASTER

SCENARIOS• MONITORING BY

DRONE PLANES• HAZMAT

MANAGEMENT

FLOOD RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES

FLOOD RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES

RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR FLOODS

RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES FOR FLOODS

• PURPOSE

• PREVENTION

• PROTECTION

• LAND USE CONTROL

• PURPOSE

• PREVENTION

• PROTECTION

• LAND USE CONTROL

• TECHNIQUE

• WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

• FLOOD CONTROL (DIKES, BARRIERS AND DAMS)

• ZONING MAPS (BUILD – NO BUILD)

• TECHNIQUE

• WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

• FLOOD CONTROL (DIKES, BARRIERS AND DAMS)

• ZONING MAPS (BUILD – NO BUILD)

FLOOD PREVENTION: DIKES IN THE NETHERLANDS

FLOOD CONTROL: THAMES BARRIER; LONDON, ENGLAND

As a result of floods (e.g., in 1928, 1957, etc), the Thames Barrier project, which was begun in 1974 to control

storm surges, was officially opened in 1984.

THE OOSTERSCHELDEKERING : THE NETHERLANDS; 1986

THE OOSTERSCHELDEKERING (STORM SURGE BARRIER)

WAS CONSTRUCTED IN RESPONSE TO THE NORTH

SEA FLOOD OF 1953