Climate Change consists of many dangers that are only good for reaping lives and destroying people’s livelihood; these dangers range from Heat Waves, Drought, Sea Level Rise, Storms, Famine, etc. When a disaster hits, people either have enough rationality to take proper action or cannot properly think from fear or fall victim to the disaster. This is especially true for disasters known as, Floods. What is a Flood? According to the World Health Organization, “Floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster and occur when an overflow of water submerges land that is usually dry.”
According to NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), there are four types of Floods. River Floods, which is obvious by its name, is where “a river or stream overflows its natural banks and inundates normally dry land.” This usually occurs due to “heavy rainfall, rapidly melting snow or ice jams.” Another type is Flash Floods, which rise quickly and remain over a short period which is usually “six hours or less.” It can happen anywhere, “although low-lying areas with poor drainage are particularly vulnerable.” Coastal Floods is another type of flooding and usually the most disastrous; it usually occurs from winds of coastal storms (i.e., hurricanes, storm surges). Then there are Urban Floods. These floods happen from heavy rainfall overwhelming drainage in urban areas, though urban areas are just as susceptible to the three types above of floods. Even more according to NRDC, “IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) noted in its special report on extremes, it is increasingly clear that climate change ‘has detectably influenced’ several of the water-related variables that contribute to floods, such as rainfall and snowmelt.” Which shows how much climate change plays a role in said natural disasters.
According to the World Health Organization, in flood disasters, “drowning accounts for 75% of deaths.” Though the 25% result from “physical trauma, heart attacks, electrocution, carbon monoxide poisoning or fire associated flooding.” As for people that manage to survive the disaster, they may be affected by medium/long health impacts. They could contact water/vector-borne diseases (“such as cholera, typhoid or malaria”). People can receive injuries “such as lacerations or punctures from evacuations and disaster cleanup.” People can be exposed to chemical hazards in turmoil. Then there is the situation where people have nowhere to head to for shelter to take care of survival needs (clean water and food) and take/practice medical aid to individuals themselves or someone they know. Lives are lost, but livelihoods are also lost, making things more depressing for survivors. The World Health Organization also mentions Floods are becoming more frequent, and its chances of how frequent are increasing.
In the case of a Flood, there are methods/steps individuals can take in preparation or during a flood. According to Ready.org, “a national public service campaign designed to educate and empower American people for, respond to and mitigate emergencies,” to prepare in case of a flood is to first learn of the possibility of a flood happening in said individuals’ area and to sign up for the community’s warning system. Another step people can take is to purchase flood insurance since homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding. Also, to keep in mind is that it takes 30 days for flood insurance policy to take effect, so it is best to prepare beforehand. It is also important to their family must do when a flood happens, where to go, what is needed to protect against a flood, planning a route ahead of time. As for another source according to the National Weather Service, during a flood individuals should: keep automobiles fueled, store drinking water in bathtubs and various container, keep stock of food with little to no need to refrigerate/cooking, have first aid at hand, NOAA weather radio for any updates, battery powered portable radio, emergency cooking equipment, working flashlights, and to make sure to check valves of building sewer traps to prevent flood backing into drains of the home.
Sources:
– https://www.who.int/health-topics/floods#tab=tab_1
– https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flooding-and-climate-change-everything-you-need-know
– https://www.ready.gov/floods
– https://www.weather.gov/pbz/floods
2 Responses
I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that flooding is incredibly dangerous and poses many threats to civilizations as times goes on. As climate change continues to become more prominent, the risk of flooding also swells. The direct influence of climate change on rising frequency and intensity of hydrological and hydro-meteorological events will further strengthen the potential threat of flooding (Climate Central 2019).
However, I would like to add on to the emphasis of how to minimize and control the damage resulting from a flood. Throughout the world, coastal cities and communities are brainstorming new methods of minimizing the effects of flooding. The construction of seawalls, storm drain systems, flood diversion systems, structural water-proofing measures or simple urban re-planning are all a result of engineers, architects, city planners, and scientists’ efforts in minimizing the effects of flood.
Since hurricane Sandy in 2012, New York City has implemented many flood-proofing countermeasures and are looking into innovative ideas on how to control the damage of flooding. New York City revised the building codes to adapt to flooding risks, an example of such is the construction of elevating buildings above the projected floodplain and heavy usage of water-resistive materials (NYC DCP 2013). In addition, New York City is looking into urban re-planning proposals involving the landscaping of lower Manhattan. Some of the landscaping proposals involve creating a large open-space green park to act as a buffer zone and sink for incoming floods. This will help reduce flood damage on essential structures like transportation structures, residential units, and emergency facilities (Rebuild by Design).
Work Cited:
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans-studies/sustainable-communities/climate-resilience/designing_flood_risk.pdf
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/report-pouring-it-on-climate-change-intensifies-heavy-rain-events
http://www.rebuildbydesign.org/our-work/all-proposals/winning-projects/big-u
thank you Hong for your comment. You added a lot of good information to the post