The local population must be better prepared for flooding
Opinion piece by Professor Christian Webersik in CIEM 28. October 2017.
Photo: Kjartan Bjelland, Fævennen.
An Opinion piece on the recent flooding in Sørlandet was published in Fædrelandsvennen newspaper by our colleague Christian Webersik from Department of Global development and planning.
- The extent of the damage caused by the recent flooding in southern Norway has become evident when the water receded. No lives were claimed as in other parts of the world but the flood left muddy, ruined houses, flooded cars, damaged bridges, and other critical infrastructure. What become clear, local people need better early warning systems, advice on how to respond, and how to recover after the flooding. The reason why a natural hazard turned into a disaster was the same: the human factor. Humans are not just responsible for climate change; their behaviour also makes them vulnerable to natural hazards.
The full article in Norwegian can be found here: https://www.fvn.no/…/Lokalbefolkningen-ma-bli-bedre-forbere…