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Historic Widespread Flooding in Texas: Causes, Risks, and Impacts

Learn about the historic flooding in Texas caused by the 1,352 km-long Brazos River, its interaction with hazardous materials, and the potential loss of function of structures in floodplain inundation. Explore the damages caused by water floods, erosion, mudflows, and contamination of ground water. Understand the health problems arising from water-borne diseases and the importance of flood disaster laboratories. Discover strategies for flood disaster resilience, including monitoring, scenario maps, and timely emergency response.

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Historic Widespread Flooding in Texas: Causes, Risks, and Impacts

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  1. HISTORIC WIDESPREAD FLOODING CONTINUES IN TEXASJune 2--?, 2016 Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna, Virginia, USA 

  2. THE 1,352 KM-LONG- BRAZOS RIVER

  3. CAUSES OF RISK LOSS OF FUNCTION OF STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAIN INUNDATION INTERACTION WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS STRUCTURAL/CONTENTS DAMAGE FROM WATER FLOODS WATER BORNE DISEASES (HEALTH PROBLEMS) FLOOD DISASTER LABORATORIES EROSION AND MUDFLOWS CONTAMINATION OF GROUND WATER

  4. TEXAS IS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING • Texas is no stranger to flooding, thanks to an unfortunate combination of geology, geography, and infrastructure.

  5. TEXAS IS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING: continued • Now for the first time this spring, all of these factors have joined forces to yield record rainstorms and flooding across Texas.

  6. SE TEXAS IS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING: continued • Proximity to the Gulf of Mexico makes SE Texas a convergence zone for polar and tropical air masses, which tend to produce heavy rainfall when they meet up.

  7. SE TEXAS IS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING: continued • In the Hill Country region that encompasses both San Antonio and Austin, shallow limestone bedrock impedes the flow of water, resulting in rapid runoff that quickly overflows narrow creek beds.

  8. AUSTIN

  9. SE TEXAS IS VULNERABLE TO FLOODING: continued • In sprawling metropolitan Houston, natural geological barriers give way to an artificial one—concrete—that leads to even more overland flow.

  10. HOUSTON

  11. FLOODING

  12. FLOODING

  13. FLOODING

  14. PRELIMINARY REPORTS • TORRENTIAL RAIN FOR FIVE DAYS HAS CAUSED WIDESPREAD FLOODING ALONG THE BRAZOS RIVER FROM NEW MEXICO TO THE GULF OF MEXICO. • ONLY 13 DEATHS SO FAR • HOMES, CARS AND INFRA-STRUCTURE UNDER WATER • THOUSANDS EVACUATED

  15. PREPAREDNESS • PROTECTION • /EARLY WARNING • EM RESPONSE • RECOSTRUCTION AND RECOVERY FLOODI DISASTER RESILIENCE ACCEPTABLE RISK RISK UNACCEPTABLE RISK BOOKS OF KNOWLEDGE • MONITORING • SCENARIO MAPS • INVENTORY • VULNERABILITY • LOCATION DATA BASES AND INFORMATION YOUR COMMUNITY HAZARDS: GROUND SHAKING GROUND FAILURE SURFACE FAULTING TECTONIC DEFORMATION TSUNAMI RUN UP AFTERSHOCKS

  16. PILLARS OF FLOOD DISASTER RESILIENCE Anticipatory Preparedness Adoption and Implementation of urban plans Realistic Flood Disaster Scenarios Timely Emergency Response (including Emergency Medical Services) Cost-Effective Reconstruction & Recovery

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