Introduction
Climate and weather-related events that are extreme such as heat, droughts, bushfires, waves, and floods, are increasing intensity and frequency across the world. Furthermore, floods have accounted for half of all the catastrophes in England since 1995 to 2019, and it has affected most people countrywide (Barendrecht et al., 2020). The United Kingdom (UK) has experienced flood disasters ranging from overflowing of the stream banks of the River Thames to the immersing of commercial and residential neighborhoods. Mitigation measures are actions intended to reduce the risks on the property, economic, social and natural resource levels (Barendrecht et al., 2020).
Notably, creating awareness, prediction, preparedness, education, and establishing effective warning systems are necessary to decrease the disruptive impacts of floods on the communities. The UK has adopted mitigation measures such as structural and building codes, mapping of the flood-prone areas, and flood management plans; however, it is necessary to consider public engagement as an additional strategy.
Existing Mitigation Measures
Mitigation measures are basically structured on five elements, including prevention, preparedness, protection, recovery, and emergency response. The Environmental Agency established a Corporate Plan to address flood disasters in the country (Barendrecht et al., 2020). It is important to note that over 5.5 million people and several properties in England are at risk of flooding (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Additionally, the Act of 2010 concerning floods and water management emphasizes the need to construct structures that are flood resilient or resistant (Barendrecht et al., 2020).
In addition, the Corporate Plan 2011-2015 also focuses on developing mapping as well as modeling capabilities that provide improved flood risk control and visualization tools (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Environmental Agency, also known as EA, established tools such as flood risk management plans, flood risks maps, flood structures, and defenses and geospatial maps for every river basin in all the districts. Despite the initiatives developed by EA in the nation, the records concerning the impacts of disasters in England indicate that more than 7000 properties were destroyed by floods (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Additional 43 hectares of land that was mainly used for agricultural activities in 2013 was underwater (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Therefore, there is immediate need for the adoption of new measures to help reduce flooding cases in the UK.
The historical mitigation measures in the United Kingdom, as far as the impacts of flooding are concerned, have been through construction, deployment, and integration of conventional flood defenses. Nonetheless, the rise in the frequency and the intensity of flooding in the country, particularly in the last two decades, have seen a paradigm move from flood defense to risk management (Barendrecht et al., 2020). It is important to note that risk management concerning the flooding in the UK is the main focus of mitigating the effects of flooding.
Building structures in flood-prone regions with the KU for a very long time were done without special consideration of the risk posed to the general public (Barendrecht et al., 2020). In 2010, the government enacted section 40 of the Flood and Management ACT 2010 in order to rectify the omission (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Established policies ensured that challenges caused by flooding are reduced greatly and enhanced the recovery process.
Furthermore, the clause is imposed on the public, especially those who are doing the construction of buildings, fittings, and services, ensuring that structures attain resistant and resilient nature to erosion and flooding. Before the enactment of the clause, numerous structures in the country were not flood resilient, and they could not mitigate flood hazards whenever it occurs (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Nevertheless, the current development compelled all the construction agents to embrace building codes for the purposes of improving the standards of the structures within flood-prone areas (Barendrecht et al., 2020). In addition to this, construction practitioners are also required to use technologies and materials that enhance flood resistance to ensure the safety of both properties and the people living in the buildings (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Special consideration is given to the houses and other infrastructures that are erected in flooding zones within the country.
Flood is an abnormal occurrence with the tendency to disrupt social and economic aspects of human life, hence leading to stress, panic, and fear. A thorough analysis of the previous events in relation to flooding revealed that some activities performed by individuals in the country contributed to the occurrence of the disaster, such as encroachment on the environment (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Moreover, several flooding incidents are due to urbanization into catchment areas of waterways and flooding plains. In addition to this, deforestation and other irresponsible activities led to flooding, gales, and strong winds in cities, villages, and towns (Barendrecht et al., 2020).
The nation has invested in capacity building, resilience, and creating awareness concerning human behaviors that are leading to environmental degradation and increasing impacts of flooding. The government has increased its flood defense measures through co-operation with other relevant agencies in relation to regional planning, river control, urban development transport, and meteorology (Barendrecht et al., 2020). Creating awareness involves telling people about the risks, recognize it, and how to act appropriately when it happens.
Floodplain restoration in England facilitates free and easy flowing of the river when the water levels rise as well as storing the excess water during heavy rainy seasons. England has restored floodplains in order to provide sufficient room that is needed to contain large floods hence ensuring the safety of the communities (Kuang & Liao, 2020).
In addition to this, creating more space for waters in the riverbank enables other benefits such as clean water for domestic use, an agricultural area, trails, and recreation, as well as habitat for wildlife and fish (Kuang & Liao, 2020). In the country, floodplains have ensured that flood waters are spread and slowed down, hence reducing its danger to the communities that live around the rivers and their properties (Kuang & Liao, 2020). It is important to note that creating rooms for the river to flow freely is not only healthy for the communities but also to maintain the river’s health.
Additionally, the construction of dams as well as flood blocks along the river has also helped in reducing the impacts of river flooding by creating a barrier that ensures waters are stored and do not move to the road, railways, schools, and other social places. The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 is critical as far as mitigation measures concerning flooding are concerned (Kuang & Liao, 2020). The Act provides comprehensive and better management of flood risk for the homes, properties, and people. It also highlights the responsibility of the agencies that are involved in emergency planning to reduce the destruction caused by the hazards. County Council, Unitary Council, and Metropolitan are examples of the Lead Local Flood Authority established under the 2010 Act (Kuang & Liao, 2020). The aforementioned organizations are entrusted with the duties of managing local flood risks that include groundwaters, surface runoff, and river flooding.
Additional Mitigation Measures
Despite establishing appropriate mitigation measures in the UK, such as the creation of policies, construction of dams, and floodplain, public engagement is still missing. Public engagement is necessary for anticipating the impacts of flooding on the local community, their properties, and state infrastructures (Kuang & Liao, 2020). The government should ensure working and partnering with communities at all levels to achieve effective public engagement of provider stakeholders and communities in order to mitigate the effects of flooding on vulnerable populations.
Evaluating Mitigation Strategy Using the FEMA
The main goal regarding public engagement is to maximize public input and support in the planning and execution of mitigation strategies meant to save lives and rescue properties when a disaster occurs. The state, through relevant organizations, must ensure the appropriate creation of skills and knowledge concerning the hazards at the communities’ level (Kuang & Liao, 2020). The short benefits of public engagement are to necessitate public awareness, individual preparedness, and greater visibility in relation to disaster preparedness initiatives.
Additionally, long-term benefits include the formulation of policies that considers community priorities and values, therefore achieving public adherence and greater acceptance when the need arises to implement them (Kuang & Liao, 2020). Nevertheless, public engagements face numerous challenges, such as process credibility and full implementation of community output. Moreover, it is challenging to bring on aboard participants from the community that capture the diversity to have a meaningful conversation.
To implements public engagement, it is necessary to facilitate the sharing of information about lessons learned in the disasters that occurred between communities. Learning from the challenges and success of other regions helps in shortening the project’s timeframe, appropriate use of limited resources, and ensure the goals of disaster preparedness is achieved (Kuang & Liao, 2020). Additionally, the government can use different forms of involvement with the public ranging from educational to consultive outreach. The deliberative meeting is critical to ensure successful public engagement; therefore, authorities can employ it to exchange opinions, ideas and gather information based on disaster mitigation efforts.
In conclusion, it important to address the problem of flooding in the UK using resources that are readily available in central and local government agencies. It is important to reduce the vulnerability of the existing structures, communities, and facilities in flood-prone regions such as coastal neighborhoods. It is also vital to emphasize risk perception, management, assessment, and adaptability. It is upon the central and state governments to take bold decisions to include multifaced input as well as the flexibility to improve response and control diverse effects of properties. Flooding has caused the destruction of many properties and loss of lives; therefore, authorities and the local population should work together to mitigate its impact
References
Barendrecht, M. H., McCarthy, S., & Viglione, A. (2020). A comparative analysis of property level flood mitigation behaviour in the regions of England . In EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts (p. 16099). Web.
Kuang, D., & Liao, K. H. (2020). Learning from floods: Linking flood experience and flood resilience. Journal of Environmental Management, 271, 111025. Web.