In the first half of September 2024, devastating floods occurred in Nigeria, Myanmar, the Czech Republic, Budapest and other parts of Europe. central after heavy rains.
In August, floods hit Bangladesh, leaving more than 500,000 people without clean water, sanitation, dry clothing and other basic needs such as medicines.
As experts tend to attribute these extreme weather events to climate change, governments and communities are looking for strategies to adapt and mitigate their impact.
For example, Investment in grey infrastructure projects, using concrete and steel, and natural green initiatives could help prevent the worst effects of flooding. more frequent and serious.
Mobile flood barriers in Venice
Venice, one of the world’s most iconic European cities, is facing a two-fold existential crisis: climate-induced sea level rise, and the slow sinking of the city into the muddy foundations on which it was built.
It is estimated that it is sinking by an average of 2.5 mm per year, and this has been the case for 150 years. Some studies suggest that much of the city could be underwater by the middle of the next century – a modern-day Atlantis. But the most immediate challenge is flooding.
Planning for flood prevention systems in Venice dates back to the 1980s. Construction of the MOSE system began in 2003. MOSE features four movable inlet barriers at points in the lagoon separating the city from the sea. Each barrier consists of a series of floodgates that can be raised to separate the lagoon from the surrounding ocean during high tides.
Flood control, dry and manhole dams in Japan, USA
Dams are typically used to block a river as a way of storing water.
But Flow-through dams are designed to allow the movement of water under normal conditions. Instead of storing water during dry periods, they spring into action during bad weather: they close and store water in an upper floodplain, protecting the land on the other side of the structure. The water is released back into the lower river system once the floodwaters have subsided.
Dams of this type have been built in Ohio, in the United States, and in Japan, along the Masudagawa and Hata rivers. Another one is being built along the Asuwa River.
Houses on stilts, break walls and self-elevating houses
Piles have long been used to support freestanding homes and protect them from flooding. But the idea is now gaining popularity in areas that have to adapt to extreme weather and flooding.
Stilt houses have been commonly used in small island nations where sea levels are rising rapidly, as well as in flood plains in Asia and Africa, but other nations are now increasingly looking to the techniques as a means of improving housing.
In the US, regulations stipulate that pile supports must be strong enough to withstand flooding and wind forces, while elevating buildings enough to withstand a “once-in-a-century” flood.
Barrier technology from Holland to Africa
Construction of temporary barricades against rising waters – an idea developed by a Dutch company called SLAMDAM – has proven to be as effective in African countries as it is in the Netherlands.
The SLAMDAM is made of pipes that are filled with water to create a temporary wall or barricade that pushes back flood waters.
It has been used by communities in Burundi, Nigeria and Kenya. During dry periods, communities have also used the stored water for irrigation.
“Nature-based” flood mitigation
Not only technological innovation can help communities solve the problem of floodingSome regions turn to environmental interventions, sometimes referred to as “nature-based solutions.”
To mitigate flooding, one such possible solution is to manage the flow of water between rivers and floodplains, or the restoration of agricultural regions with native vegetation to encourage more effective storage of rainwater.
Other ideas include restoring sand dunes and mangrove forests to provide natural barriers against flooding. These initiatives are considered “green infrastructure” and are being implemented around the world.
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