Choice and Constraints in Floodplain Occupation: The Influence of Structural Factors on Residential Location in Peninsular Malaysia

In Peninsular Malaysia 'structural' factors are found to influence strongly people's persistent occupation of floodplains. Thus, despite a high level of flood hazard awareness, a high level of pessimism and a high level of expectation of future floods, poorer individuals seldom attempt to leave for more advantageous locations but are instead trapped in their present locations by structural factors such as poverty, low residential and occupational mobility, low educational attainment, traditional land inheritance, government aid, and government disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation programmes. These forces exert a strong influence upon individuals and largely control their choice of residential location in response to flood hazards, thereby reinforcing the persistent occupation of floodplains. Structural factors such as lawlessness, rural—urban migration, floodplain encroachment and squatting are also highly influential in leading people to move. Even for those who move, structural factors have largely confined their choice of residential location to urban floodplains.     

Values and floodplain management: Case studies from the Red River Basin,Canada

Where floods are prevalent, decisions on how to mitigate vulnerability are made within a social-cultural context that includes values (and related customs, norms, beliefs, technology) of local people, which have evolved through interactions with the physical environment. Consequently, the success of floodplain management and flood mitigation activities is determined, at least in part, by the nature of values that impact the decision-making process. This paper explores this contention by considering the community values context surrounding flood risk management in two small Canadian communities in the Red River Basin.

Using a qualitative methodology that includes semi-structured interviews with residents, community values are identified and accounted for in the context of flood vulnerability. Values discussions are organized around seven broad categories: community identity and community attributes; community economic development; technical and nonstructural approaches; civic engagement; flood legacy; personal rights and liberties; and shared values. Challenges posed by key identified values and their policy implications are considered. Some values are found to act as constraints if sustainable floodplain management practices are to be realized.     

Displacements and reconstruction: the case of west beirut - Lebanon

This paper focusses on the housing conditions of the displaced people who were forced to move to West Beirut due to the conflict in Lebanon which started in 1975. With the lack of any emergency housing provision, people have adopted two ways to shelter their families; either by occupying vacant buildings or by squatting on unused land (land squatting).
The study is based on fieldwork undertaken in order to gain a deeper insight into the displaced people's housing conditions. The results of the survey analysis are believed to be common to other displaced people, as has been verified by comparison with the available information in newspaper reports, unpublished documents, and other accounts.
The paper concludes with a reconstruction strategy, composed of two policies. First, a short-term policy which deals with the urgent needs of the people in the place of refuge. Thus mitigation and risk reduction are the aims of this policy. Second, a long-term policy which concentrates on future housing reconstruction; in which economic development, social integration and cultural identity are the basic features.     

美国洪泛平原管理的新方向

根据美国联邦跨机构洪泛平原管理审查委员会对密西酉比河１９９３年特大洪水的调查分析以及对美国现行洪泛平原管理方式、水土资源规划的原则与准则等的评价，简要介绍现有管理方式存在的问题与发展方向，为我国从事洪泛区规划与管理提供参考信息．     

城市复杂地表TM温度反演及其与MODIS产品的比较

在利用决策树模型将城市复杂地表分为植被、建筑物、水体、裸土等4类进行地表比辐射率估算和利用MODIS近红外数据反演大气水分含量的基础上,采用Jimenez-Munoz单通道算法进行了城市复杂地表TM温度的反演,并将反演结果与EOS MODIS地表温度产品进行了比较分析.结果表明:(1)基于地表信息分类提取后的地表比辐射率和MODIS反演的大气水汽含量得到的地表温度接近于实际状况;(2)反演结果与EOS MODIS地表温度产品对比发现Landsat TIM的陆表温度均值和标准差高于EOS MODIS的陆表温度产品.     

基于遥感和GIS的城市颗粒物污染分布研究

根据可吸入颗粒污染物对NOAA卫星可见光和近红外通道大气透过率影响的差异,通过构造卫星差值植被指数IDV,建立了该指数与地面环境监测站的颗粒物污染指数IPM10的相关关系.在卫星污染测值的定量反演基础上,结合绿地分布、绿地统计以及气象等资料,通过GIS多因子要素综合分析,对上海中心城区的颗粒物污染状况进行了动态监测和研究.     

Community strategies to improve flood risk communication in the Red River Basin, Manitoba, Canada

More than a decade after the 1997 Red River Flood, vulnerability to future flooding exists due to a lack of risk communication. This study identifies risk communication gaps and discusses the creation of strategies to enhance information-sharing, bottom-up activity and partnership development. The objectives were achieved using mixed methods, including interviews, a floodplain-wide survey, and a decision-makers' risk management workshop. The results highlight a number of external pressures exerted by regional floodplain policies and procedures that restrict risk communication and affect social vulnerability in the rural floodplain. The failures of a top-down approach to floodplain management have impacted on communities' abilities to address floodplain risks, have amplified local risks, and have decreased community cooperation in floodplain management initiatives since the 1997 'Flood of the Century'. Recommended policies promote the establishment of community standards to compensate for gaps in risk communication and the development of partnerships between floodplain communities.     

Institutional challenges to robustness of delta and floodplain agricultural systems

The farming of natural coastal deltas and floodplains was in many parts of the world the cradle of civilization. Through history the transformation of risky floodplain systems into socially controlled environments was the result of an intricate interplay between ecology, demography, religion, social organization and technology of the time. After the harnessing of most large tropical rivers, there are in our time few natural deltas and floodplains left to study in the warm regions of the world. One such floodplain is the Rufiji coastal delta and floodplain in Tanzania. Here an artificial irrigation culture has not been developed, but a robust risk-minimizing system based on rice, maize, cotton and peas has evolved for delta and floodplain agriculture. Through the Arab, German and British colonization, attempts were made to ‘modernize’ this agricultural system, resulting in new crops and varieties being incorporated into the system in a way that made it even more robust. This study explains the genesis of this as a socio-ecological system, that is, an interaction of resource systems, resource units, governance and users. It analyses some fundamental challenges to this agricultural system during the last 100 years: the removal of the floodplain population to ‘safe ujamaa villages’, the recurring large infrastructure development initiatives and the modern institutional challenges such as individualized tenure, urban food market expansion, coastal and marine conservation, and the recent development of ‘land-grabbing’ practices.     

A critical analysis of earthquakes and urban planning in Turkey

The land use plans and policies of developed countries that live with the threat of earthquakes are gaining importance in reducing or eliminating the long‐term threat to people and property. In developing countries, however, these plans and policies seem to increase the level of vulnerability. This paper examines the effects of the earthquakes that have occurred in Turkey since 1992, with a particular focus on urbanisation and planning policies. It is based on extensive surveys carried out on location immediately after the earthquakes in Erzincan and Kocaeli‐Gölcük in 1992 and 1999, respectively. The analysis takes into account several factors, including the height of buildings, geological conditions and the construction period. The authors conclude that land use planning can serve as a very useful instrument for mitigating the extent of disaster damage if it is part of an appropriate planning system. In the case of Turkey, the planning system needs to be reorganised for this purpose.     

Flood policy reversal in australia

In 1977 the Government of New South Wales introduced a flood prone lands policy which attempted to break with the past emphasis on structural works. Cornerstones of the policy were the preparation of floodplain maps, and use of the 1:100 (100 year or 1%) flood to delineate floodplains and 1:20 flood for floodway definition. The fiscal and regulatory elements of the policy were to be applied more or less uniformly within the two zones. At first there was little effective opposition to the program, but this changed when large areas of Sydney, which had not been inundated since development, were mapped. Local government concern over issues of legal liability led to decisions which in turn prompted opposition to the policy from residents' action groups and property development interests. A perceived drop in property values provided the main motivation for action by residents. This pressure for change, which intensified just before the 1984 state election, saw the policy overturned.
The new policy gives local government greater responsibility for floodplain management. State authorities have withdrawn from floodplain mapping, although technical advice will continue to be provided, and there are no longer any uniform floodplain or floodway definitions. Policy implementation is to be guided by a Manual which attempts to define flood hazard in terms of both physical and social criteria.     

Interactions between scientific uncertainty and flood management decisions: Two case studies in Colorado

Flood management policies in the United States rely on scientific information about the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and runoff. Yet, the available information is inherently uncertain because of the complexity of meteorological and hydrological processes. In mountainous areas, flood risk can vary greatly even within short distances depending on local climate, topography, soil characteristics, and land use. This paper describes two Colorado cases in which policy makers were presented with conflicting scientific estimates: revision of the Fort Collins floodplain map and modification of the Cherry Creek Dam. The case studies demonstrate that uncertainty can have substantial impacts on regulatory processes, public safety, and costs. The analysis considers the differing perspectives of various participants in the flood management processes, illustrating the interplay between uncertainties attributable to scientific issues and values issues. It suggests that attempts to provide a single “best” estimate do not necessarily meet the decision needs of all stakeholders. Conclusions indicate a need to improve communication about uncertainty when scientific estimates areprovided to decision makers. Furthermore, in highly controversial decisions, it may be necessary to reframe the discussion to consider the values issues raised by scientific uncertainty.     

The displaced poor and resettlement policies in bangladesh

Bangladesh is a land of natural disasters. Every year the country is affected by flood, riverbank erosion, drought, coastal cyclone and tornado. Riverbank erosion alone displaces an estimated one million people annually. Based on research carried out in Bangladesh in 1984–85, this paper critically examines resettlement options of the displaced poor in the light of existing policies for developing more effective short and long-term resettlement and development strategies .     

Farming the battlefield: the meanings of war, cattle and soil in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Prior to 1996 and the Congolese wars, exploitative land policies pushed farmers in the eastern highlands of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into a vulnerable position, with cattle manure sustaining intensive cultivation. This exposed households to a complete breakdown in mixed farming as cattle became targets of war. This study of villages in South Kivu offers an inside understanding of continuity and change in farming practices in a region where there are no easy solutions, and it assesses how the province lost its present and where farmers look when they glance to the future. For farmers, who hold a broad view of soil fertility, the casualties of war were not only people and cattle but also the land itself, which has enduring scars. Perceiving a rupture in tradition, South Kivu farmers are searching desperately for new livelihoods that are built on education instead of livestock, setting aside old ethnic signifiers to seek a future beyond protracted conflict.     

真空联合堆载预压加固长江漫滩相软基孔压测试分析

结合长江江苏镇江段某码头堆场地基采用真空联合堆载预压法加固处理工程,通过现场钻孔埋设孔隙水压力计,对长江漫滩相软土地基加固过程中孔隙水压力的发展变化过程进行了测试分析。结果表明:真空预压区,加固30d后地基中孔隙水压力变化基本稳定,且土中超静孔隙水压力的消散受该深度排水板中真空荷载的影响十分显著;排水板中真空荷载随深度衰减,衰减速率与排水板周围土层性质密切相关;通过现场测试得到排水板周围为长江漫滩相淤泥质粉质黏土时,真空荷载沿排水板深度衰减速率约为3kPa/m。     

面向对象的灾害信息遥感提取框架及其应用

我国自然灾害频发,遥感技术可快速、大范围地获取地表的重大自然灾害信息,具有巨大的应用价值.但目前高分辨率遥感影像处理面临一定的困难,尚无十分有效且快速的分类与目标提取算法,面向对象影像处理技术是该领域的研究热点.通过详细分析面向对象影像处理方法与高分辨率影像的特点,构建了面向对象遥感影像技术的灾害信息提取框架,并将该提取框架应用于地震灾害的损毁分析,为相关灾害应用研究提供参考.     

地面沉降灾害经济损失评估理论体系研究——以上海市地面沉降灾害经济损失评估为例

地面沉降灾害的致灾过程具有一定的内在规律性。地面沉降灾害不仅直接造成受灾体的破坏损失 ,而且还通过其他载体间接造成受灾体的破坏损失。这使得地面沉降灾害成灾过程表现出一定的复杂性 ,从而加大了人们正确认识和评估地面沉降灾害经济损失的困难。本文基于地面沉降灾害成灾机理分析 ,对地面沉降灾害造成的经济损失进行了系统分类 ,并根据不同类型的经济损失 ,有针对性地提出了相应的评估原则和评估方法 ;同时还提出了地面沉降灾害经济损失应评估的三类指标 ,即经济损失指标、控沉经济效益指标和风险经济损失指标。     

‘Natural’ disaster? A retrospect into the causes of the late-2004 typhoon disaster in Eastern Luzon, Philippines

Between 14 November and 4 December 2004, four successive tropical depressions and typhoons lashed the Eastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines. Heavy rainfall triggered massive landslides and devastating flash floods, which brought tremendous damage and killed more than 1600 people. Immediately after the disaster, there was a media and political consensus to incrimate ‘extraordinary’ natural phenomena and widespread deforestation as responsible for the catastrophe. We argue that the tragedy that befell the municipalities of General Nakar, Infanta and Real, among other devastated areas, is enmeshed in a deeper tangle of causal factors that are political, socio-economic and demographic in nature. These factors include unmanaged population growth, difficult access to land and resources, corruption within the government, and power of the elite.     

Nutritional risk factors for older refugees

This study describes risk factors for poor nutrition among older Rwandan refugees. The most important areas of nutritional risk for older refugees are: physical ability and mobility; income and access to land; access to appropriate food rations; meeting basic needs such as water, fuel, shelter; equal access to essential services (food distribution, health services, mills, feeding programmes); and psycho-social trauma. Women and older elderly (> 70 years) are significantly more often in disadvantaged positions, such as having poor socio-economic status, poor health, poor mobility, lower food intake, diminished social status, respect and social network. Older refugees are at higher risk than younger refugees and at higher risk than older people in stable situations. They should remain in good nutritional and general health for their own well-being and that of their dependants. In addition to an adequate diet, a support network seems to be an important preventive aspect.     

The consequences and policy implications of urban encroachment into flood-risk areas: the case of Ibadan

Urban encroachment on floodplains has exacerbated flood disasters owing to the reduction in the floodplain’s capacity to mitigate flooding, thereby bringing more settlements and people at flood risk. This study examined the consequences and policy implications of urban encroachment into Ibadan’s flood-risk areas. The survey-based study relied on primary and secondary data, with multistage sampling procedures selecting 15% of the flood-affected buildings in 2011, from which a structured questionnaire was administered to 402 households. The study revealed that the institutional arrangements with respect to responsibilities, regulations and control of urban floodplains were fragmented and non-participatory. At least 62% of all the affected buildings encroached into the statutory setbacks to rivers. Household property lost/damaged included domestic goods (75%), domestic animals and pets (60%), working instruments/machines (31%), the source of domestic water (34%) and vehicles (29%). Strong direct correlations were found between the urban and peri-urban communities in (1) the number of damaged/lost property and (2) the number of households that suffered health-related challenges. The paper recommends that the overall co-ordination of flood management activities be entrusted to an institution that can assume responsibility for legal, technical, administrative and financial matters related to urban planning and flood-risk management.     

Land tenure,disasters and vulnerability

Although often overlooked, land tenure is an important variable impacting on vulnerability to disaster. Vulnerability can occur either where land tenure is perceived to be insecure, or where insecure tenure results in the loss of land, especially when alternative livelihood and housing options are limited. Disasters often provide the catalyst for such loss. This paper avoids making generalisations about the security of particular types of tenure, but instead explores factors that mediate tenure security, particularly in the wake of a disaster. The paper identifies five mediating factors: (1) the local legal system; (2) government administrative authority; (3) the economy; (4) evidence of tenure, and; (5) custom and dominant social attitudes. It is shown that some mediating factors are more salient for particular types of tenure than others. The paper will highlight the importance of land tenure in any assessment of vulnerability, and conclude with suggestions for further research.