Transcript
FLOODSA LOOK ON THIS NATURAL PHENOMENA
IN JAMAICA
By: Romario RickettsDate: October 13, 2014Country: Jamaica
What is a flood?
According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary a flood refers to: “an overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land.”
DEFINITION
The Jamaican people are no strangers to Flooding:
1940 – November (125 died; 2000 left homeless) 1979 – the acclaimed “JUNE FLOOD” or New Market
Flood 1988 – Hurricane Gilbert – massive damages
islandwide 2004 – Hurricane Ivan – destroyed homes, crops and
livestock 2012 – Port Maria town was submerged by water 2014 – January – flooding damages estimated at $125
million
History
BUT HOW ARE FLOODS FORMED
FLOODS occurs in several ways and is determined by the geography of the area. As such, there are four types of floods that affects Jamaica according to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management ODPEM.
These are: Flash Floods Riverine Floods Tidal Flood Ponding
FLASH FLOODS1. Water falls onto
waterlogged ground2. Rainfall cannot soak in
underground reservoir so it runs off in rivers and streams
3. Rivers and streams overflow their banks and flood surrounding areas.
RIVERINE FLOODS1. Overwhelming amount of
rain falls into river2. River becomes
incapacitated (filled)3. River overflows its banks
and flood surrounding areas
TIDAL FLOOD1. Hurricane, tropical storms,
earthquakes and strong winds actions causes disturbances in the sea
2. Tides rise violently and gushed backings and homes eventually
PONDING1. Water slowly builds in
depressions, sinks, areas with clay base soil
2. Water seeps through clay and rocks and flood communities and other streams nearby
for example, flooding in New Market.
Loss of lives Damage to social infrastructure (schools, clinics,
police stations etc.) Loss of livestock Damage done to subsistence farms No electricity Water ways gets contaminated Disruption of family life – migration Diseases (malaria etc)
SOCIAL IMPACTS OF FLOODS IN JAMAICA
Cash crops destroyed Government has to make arrangement for
shelters and aid Government has to use limited funds to repair
roads etc Inflations (high cost of living) Damage to country’s tourism product Loss of jobs Businesses are destroyed
ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF FLOODS IN JAMAICA
Lands where flooding has been before can be very fertile – New Market Oval
Houses close to gullies and slopes normally has retaining walls
In some cases houses tends to have an elevated structure (house bottom)
In SOME communities people tend to shun building houses on river banks and coast line
Local government regulate where graves can be built to avoid the contamination of streams
CULTURAL IMPACTS OF FLOODS IN JAMAICA
In some cases affected residence gets better housing from the government and international aids
Soil becomes more fertile after flooding EMPLOYMENT: Residents get short term
employment (e.g. to clean up areas) and contractors rebuild infrastructures
Cohesion: different countries joining in efforts to help
Advantages of Floods
Spread of waterborne diseases Loss of lives and livelihoods Loss of vegetation Destroy infrastructures (roads, pipes, parks,
schools) Pollution of drinking water (clean drinking
water becomes scarce)
Disadvantages of Flooding
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