Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
Rational
1.1 Introduction
This chapter intends to provide a better understanding of the problem statement
regarding flood events on a global and local scale. Then, the hypothesis and
objectives of this research are posed based on methodologies applied in this
research. Finally, the work plan and structure of the thesis are presented and
showed as a flowchart.
1.2 The Problem Statement
Scientific, political, and public opinion is agreed that we live in a period of
accelerated flood hazards. Flood events as a destructive abundance of water have
been a major concern for people populating the vicinity of rivers and water bodies
since prehistoric times. Despite the fascinating developments in many areas of
science and technology during the last decades, the hazard of flooding has not been
eradicated. Flood events are not only one of the most widespread natural disasters
which regularly cause large numbers of casualties, with rising economic loss,
extensive homelessness, and disaster-induced disease, but they also are the most
frequent disaster type (Fig.
1.1
).
Damage caused by flooding is a rapidly increasing trend both globally and
across Europe. In reference to the database reported by the Centre for Research on
the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED)—International Disaster Database (EM-
DAT)—flood events have affected the highest number of people worldwide during
the period 1900-2009.
According to this research center [
1
], flood inundations affected *875 million
people globally between 2001 and 2010 (Table
1.1
), and estimated damages were
*US$142 billion (houses, infrastructure, crop, and livestock, etc.).
