The role of research institutions in seed-related disaster relief: Seeds of Hope experiences in Rwanda

The article describes the efforts of a coalition of agricultural research centres, Seeds of Hope (SOH) in the rebuilding, of Rwanda, after the genocide and war of 1994. Research involvement in emergency relief and rehabilitation was unusual at the time and SOH had to forge its unique complementary role. Focusing on crop and variety development and conservation it: provided technical advice to relief agencies on seed procurement; used its baseline ken to assess the effects of war on seed diversity and seed security; made preparations to restore specific germplasm (which, fortunately, proved unnecessary) and spent substantial effort on rebuilding human resource capacity in research as well as basic scientific facilities. The involvement of SOH highlighted the critical, yet very different, roles for research during emergency versus rehabilitation periods and demonstrated the cost effectiveness of building in a diagnostic component--before massive seed or germplasm distributions are programmed.     

The need to look beyond the production and provision of relief seed: experiences from southern Sudan

Free distribution of seeds in selected areas of southern Sudan has been widespread as a way of increasing food security. Field research in areas targeted for seed relief found that farmer seed systems continue to meet the crop and varietal needs of farmers even following the 1998 famine. Donor investments in seed multiplication of improved sorghum have not been sustained due to a lack of effective demand for the improved seed beyond that created by the relief agencies. The article argues that rather than imposing outside solutions, whether through seed provisioning or seed production enterprises, greater attention needs to be given to building on the strengths of existing farmer systems and designing interventions to alleviate the weaknesses. The case is made to support dynamically the process of farmer experimentation through the informed introduction of new crops and varieties that can potentially reinforce the strength and diversity of local cropping systems.     

Disasters and development in agricultural input markets: bean seed markets in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch

The bulk of developing countries' populations and poor depend on agriculture for food and income. While rural economies and people are generally the most severely affected by natural disasters, little is known about how disasters and subsequent relief activities affect agricultural markets with differing levels of development. The article addresses this gap, drawing evidence from bean seed markets in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch. Case studies are used to address hypotheses about a disaster's effects on supply and demand in seed markets, farmers' responses and the performance of relief interventions in markets showing differing levels of development. The results show the importance of tailoring relief interventions to the markets that they will affect and to the specific effects of a disaster; the potential to use local and emerging seed distribution channels in a relief intervention; and opportunities for relief activities to strengthen community seed systems.     

Environmental hazards and risk communication

The paper conducts a retrospective analysis of the relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of the 2001 flood disaster in the Rawalpindi—Islamabad conurbation in Pakistan. The concept of recovery back to “normal” is questioned because “normal” life in the study area was characterized by extreme poverty, injustice, exposure, and vulnerability to hazards. A strong gender dimension to the experience of relief and recovery was found from the case study. It is suggested that participatory approach to needs assessment and actual relief and recovery, with special attention to gender variables, will go a long way towards linking recovery with long-term vulnerability mitigation.     

Modeling flooding extent from Hurricane Floyd in the coastal plains of North Carolina

Abstract

In this article two modeling approaches were developed based on the use of US Geological Survey digital elevation model (DEM) data. These models were utilized to delineate the extent of flooding induced by precipitation from Hurricane Floyd in a portion of Pitt County, North Carolina. The patterns of flood extent derived from the two models were compared to the extent of flooding indicated on a digital aerial photograph taken two days after peak flood levels had been reached. In addition, floodplain boundaries based on Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 maps were compared to the extent of flooding on the aerial photo. Actual emergency response operations undertaken through the Pitt County Emergency Operations Center during the flood event are described, and are used to provide a context for evaluating the potential utility of these models. The flood extents produced by the modeling methods performed well at representing the actual extent of the flooding.     

青海沟后水库垮坝的防疫措施

运用预防医学手段减少疾病，维护灾民身体健康，是抗洪救灾的重要内容。本文结合沟后水库垮坝后采取的对策来概述洪涝灾害的卫生防疫措施，供有关部门参考。     

Post‐Ike economic resilience along the Texas coast

The economic devastation resulting from recent natural disasters has spawned intense interest in programmes that promote regional resilience. The economic impacts of Hurricane Ike (September 2008) endured long beyond the storm's landfall, compounded by a national recession. This study analyses the pattern of post‐Ike industrial growth in eight coastal counties of Texas, United States, and identifies sources of resilience and potential drivers of recovery. The results indicate that post‐disaster growth patterns differ from established growth patterns. Levels of resilience vary across industrial sectors, and service sectors tend to lead a recovery. The resilience of the hotel and restaurant sector, for instance, suggests that the presence of relief workers might immunise certain sectors against a post‐disaster economic downturn. Besides the sectors that are generally resilient, each county has its own distinct sectors that, depending on the extent of the damage suffered, tend to perform strongly after a disaster, owing to the characteristics of the respective county's economy.     

利用RADARSAT SWA SAR和LANDSAT TM的互补信息确定洪水水体范围

从RADARSAT SAR图像中自动提取洪水水体,一直是一个急需解决而又未能得到解决的问题。主要困难是由于阴影与水体严重相混淆。为此,本文研究发现,通过RADARSAT SWA SAR图像和LANDSAT TM图像上的互补信息,利用RADARSAT SWA SAR图像和LANDSAT TM图像上的水体和阴影进行复合处理,可以从RADARSAT SWA SAR图像上准确、半自动提取洪水水体范围。研究结果表明,该方法不仅适用于平地洪水水体范围的半自动提取,而且更适用于包含山区的大范围洪水水体的半自动提取。     

基于DEM的SAR图像洪水水体的提取

星载雷达遥感已广泛应用于洪水灾害的监测和评估中。但是由于其阴影与水体严重混淆 ,使得从雷达图像中提取洪水水体较为困难。为此 ,本文探讨了在地形数据的支持下 ,实现星载SAR图像洪水水体半自动提取的方法。主要包括以下几步 :首先 ,对雷达图像进行滤波处理 ,并将其与地形数据匹配 ,从雷达图像中提取出初步的洪水水体范围 ;其次 ,利用地形数据生成DEM ,并根据雷达图像的成像参数和DEM生成相应的模拟雷达图像 ;最后 ,利用模拟雷达图像上的阴影 ,剔除被误提为洪水水体的阴影 ,从而实现洪水水体的准确提取。研究表明 ,该方法能有效地、半自动地将星载雷达图像上的洪水水体提取出来 ;同时 ,该方法可以用于多种星载多模式的雷达图像的洪水水体的识别提取 ,尤其对含山区的大范围洪水水体的半自动提取 ,更为适用。     

城市防洪的一种方法—纳潮

本文介绍一种城市防洪的方法－纳潮。即以合理的调度运行，充分利用圩区的调蓄能力，降低风暴潮引起的高潮位，用以应付超标准风暴潮。通过纳潮效果与纳潮闸位置，调蓄面积，操作方式等因素的关系分析，表明纳潮是一种可行且有效的方法。本文阐述的基本规律，为工程设计、运行操作提供参考依据。     

The spatial and temporal variability of residential real estate values in response to flooding

A relationship between residential property values and the incidence of flooding is represented, using a case study of two Californian communities that were flooded following a levee break. Analysis of the real estate market before and after the flood shows that the flood was capitalized into housing values, whereby both list and selling prices dropped immediately and have recently begun to recover. However, recovery of the market is not uniform throughout the floodplain. Houses that suffered eighteen inches of water recovered to near pre-flood values in less than one year. In contrast, houses that had approximately ten feet of water in them have not recovered to the same extent, indicating that capitalization and recovery do not occur evenly. These findings suggest that policies and programs should address these spatial and temporal differences in recovery, which are expected to vary with different flood frequencies and magnitudes.     

Environmental Health and the 1991 Bangladesh Cyclone

A brief post-disaster study was undertaken soon after the cyclone of 1991 in Bangladesh to make a preliminary assessment of existing environmental health conditions. Eighty affected people and 26 relief personnel from the affected areas were interviewed. Faecal coliform counts, salinity conductivity and pH values were determined for 43 water samples from tubewells and ponds. The quality of 32 samples of water purifying tablets was also tested.
Water scarcity was acute, especially water used for washing and personal hygiene. The situation was made worse by the fact that the surface water sources (ponds) which were commonly used for domestic purposes other than drinking were flooded, highly contaminated and regarded as unusable. The user load on existing tubewells doubled, indicating a significantly increased demand for the tubewell water which is commonly used for drinking purposes only. The majority (63 per cent) of the water purifying tablets were found to have lost potency. Sanitation was very poor in households as well as in field clinics and shelters. Most people, including relief personnel, lacked environmental health knowledge. Suggestions regarding immediate preparations for disaster relief include: restoring water systems (tubewells and ponds), training courses for relief personnel, standardizing of water purifying tablets, promoting appropriate water use and its treatment, maintaining sanitation in clinics and shelters and improving the skills and resources of local people to enable them to cope with the situation.     

暴雨洪涝敏感性影响因子分析及评估--以江西安义县为例

由于区域地理环境存在差异,洪涝敏感性影响因子的选取主要根据区域地理特征及个人经验确定,缺乏统一的标准、系统的分析和科学的评价。洪涝灾害与影响因子之间是复杂的、多变量的非线性关系,与研究区的地质、地貌、土地覆盖等诸多因素密切相关。针对不同的研究区域,搜集尽可能全面的影响因子并对其进行优化选取是实现洪涝敏感性准确评估的前提和保证。南昌市安义县位于潦河中下游,是洪涝灾害的主要受灾区域。基于遥感影像数据和地理信息系统技术,以安义县为例开展暴雨洪涝敏感性影响因子分析及评估研究。首先,利用成灾前后哨兵一号雷达影像提取安义县2016年6月30日至7月5日暴雨洪涝的淹没范围,选取高程、降水、用地类型、距河流距离、坡度等15个洪涝敏感性影响因子。然后,基于随机森林模型对15个影响因子进行重要性排序,按照排序结果对影响因子逐步精简,并基于神经网络模型对影响因子进行优化选取。最后,基于优化选取后的影响因子,采用神经网络模型进行安义县洪涝敏感性评估,并用实例验证洪涝敏感性评估结果的可靠性。研究结果表明,在精简收敛指数、坡向、剖面曲率、地形位置指数和汇流动力指数5个最不重要的影响因子后,神经网络模型的性能有一定提升;敏感性等级为中等及中等以上区域主要分布在潦河两岸,约占安义县总面积的1/3,近70%的洪涝分布在敏感性中等及中等以上区域,洪涝发生在洪涝敏感性等级为中等及中等以上区域的可能性非常大,洪涝敏感性评估结果与安义县实际情况相符。     

洪水风险管理研究进展与中国洪水风险管理模式初步探讨

在对国内外洪水风险管理研究领域的主要文献进行综述的基础上,针对中国目前防洪减灾的具体情况,提出了分别从家户与企业、保险公司、政府与社会三个不同层面和利益主体加强洪水管理的思路,并进一步探讨了适合中国国情的洪水风险管理模式。     

1996年江西省洪涝灾害的对策及启示

简要论述了1996年江西省境内发生的4次严重的洪涝灾害,总结防汛减灾中的成功经验;针对洪涝灾害抗灾救灾中存在的几个主要问题,探讨今后防讯减灾对策。     

华北1743-1744年与1876-1878年旱灾中的政府粮食调度与社会后果对比

以《清实录》等清代档案文献为主要历史信息源,挑选华北地区清代盛期(1743-1744年)和晚期(1876-1878年)分别发生的两次典型旱灾,对灾害气候背景和灾情、政府措施(特别是政府主导的跨区粮食调度)、社会后果(人口迁徙和动乱)等信息进行整理并分别对比,可以发现1743-1744年旱灾期间政府的粮食调度体现出粮食数量大、来源渠道广、调度效率高等鲜明特点,并取得了良好的社会效果;而1876-1878年旱灾则反之,粮食数量及来源有限,且转运效率极低,由此引发严重社会后果。这种转变,发生在主要余粮产区农业凋敝、南北粮食运道(大运河)阻断、漕运及仓储制度衰败的时代背景之下,重灾区空间分布带来的交通通达性差异,也在客观上影响了粮食调度的效率。     

Social vulnerability and the natural and built environment: a model of flood casualties in Texas

Studies on the impacts of hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornados indicate that poor communities of colour suffer disproportionately in human death and injury.(2) Few quantitative studies have been conducted on the degree to which flood events affect socially vulnerable populations. We address this research void by analysing 832 countywide flood events in Texas from 1997-2001. Specifically, we examine whether geographic localities characterised by high percentages of socially vulnerable populations experience significantly more casualties due to flood events, adjusting for characteristics of the natural and built environment. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models indicate that the odds of a flood casualty increase with the level of precipitation on the day of a flood event, flood duration, property damage caused by the flood, population density, and the presence of socially vulnerable populations. Odds decrease with the number of dams, the level of precipitation on the day before a recorded flood event, and the extent to which localities have enacted flood mitigation strategies. The study concludes with comments on hazard-resilient communities and protection of casualty-prone populations.     

福建暴雨洪灾时空变化与区域划分的初步研究

根据福建省暴雨洪涝灾害数据库资料，重建了1971—2005年福建暴雨洪灾的时空格局，在此基础上，基于自然灾害系统理论，以县域为单元，根据综合性与主导因素相结合的原则，采用自下而上的方法对福建暴雨洪灾进行了区域划分。结果表明：福建洪涝灾害的年际变化呈波动上升趋势，与暴雨次数的年际变化并不一致；年内非台风暴雨洪涝灾害有71．2％集中在4—6月份，台风暴雨洪涝灾害有81.3％集中在7—9月份，群发性强；空间上东西分异明显，东部以台风暴雨洪灾为主，区内根据危险性差异划分为4个二级区；西部以非台风暴雨洪灾为主，区内依据危险性差异划分为3个二级区。分阶段研究表明，洪涝灾害的分布范围由沿海向内陆扩展，并与暴雨频次和持续时间呈不同步增长，反映了福建的洪涝灾害是主要致灾因子暴雨和承灾体共同作用的结果，承灾体的脆弱性加大了洪涝灾害灾情，福建暴雨洪涝灾害的时空格局和区域划分可为防灾减灾规划提供科学参考。     

Are floods getting worse in the Ganges,Brahmaputra and Meghna basins?

Abstract

The Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna/Barak rivers are lifelines for millions of people in South Asia in Nepal, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh. They supply water for food and fibre production and for industrial and domestic purposes. They are also sources of disastrous floods that cause substantial damage to agriculture and infrastructure in these countries. There are claims that flood discharges, areal extent, and damage-costs are getting worse in the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna/Barak basins. The validity of these claims was examined by applying four different statistical tests to the peak discharge time series and flooded areas. The results indicate that no conclusive changes have occurred over the last few decades. Reports of increased flood damage may be due to a combination of other factors, such as improved damage assessment techniques, and the expansion and intensification of settlement in flood-prone areas, but this was not tested in this paper and should be top priority for future research.     

海安地区近1000年来的气候变化与洪灾

对海安地区史志资料作了搜集与整理,利用Mann-Kendall法对该区1951年以来汛期总量与夏季最高温作了突变检测分析,以对该区近1000年来洪旱灾害的发生规律做一探讨.结果表明,小冰期时期湿润与波动剧烈的气候条件是研究区频繁发生水灾的一个重要因素,同时研究区地势低平,极易遭受水灾、热带风暴及海潮涨溢的影响.MK突变检验表明,研究区汛期总量的突变发生时间大致在20世纪60年代中期,而历年夏季最高温序列在20世纪90年代中期发生突变,具体时间大致在1993年左右.汛期总量在20世纪90年代以前呈波动下降趋势,但在其后汛期径流量又呈上升趋势;夏季最高温在20世纪90年代以前呈波动下降趋势,而在其后呈波动上升趋势,夏季最高温与汛期总量变化趋势相一致.夏季极端高温事件发生概率的增大可能导致洪灾事件的增多,因而在未来气候持续变暖的情景下,研究区乃至长江下游防洪抗灾任重而道远.