SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

BSPH324: RISK ASSESSMENT AND DISASTER
MANAGEMENT
ASSIGNMENT 1

Surname: Nkhata

First Name: Chikongiwe

Student Number: BSPH19116475

E-mail Address: mwambazichiko504@gmail.com

Phone Number: 0979363311

Due Date: 10th March 2023

Lecturer’s Name: Mr Kevin Chungu

1
INTRODUCTION

A disaster is defined as an event associated with the impact of a human-caused, natural

hazard or a complex emergency that causes a serious disruption in the functioning of a
community or society, resulting in widespread human, material, or environmental losses
that exceed the cost of recovery and ability of the affected community or society to cope
using only its own resources(Quarantelli, 1998). A disaster is declared when its
management exceeds the capacity of a local community or a single government agency
and necessitates the intervention and coordination of the state in order to mobilize
resources on a national and sometimes international scale. Disasters happen when a
risk or trigger impairs the wellbeing of vulnerable people. The degree of vulnerability of
the affected population and the population's resilience (ability to absorb the shocks of a
disaster impact and/or recover from it) are thus intimately related to each other and to
the severity of a disaster. The prevailing socioeconomic conditions or asset portfolios of
the population have a significant impact on their ability to resist the repercussions of a
calamity. So, a given "environment's" high sensitivity to disasters is a product of its
poverty, politics, and other social and economic variables(Shaluf, I.M., 2007).

The incapacity to cope with the disaster using the community's resources and the
disruption of regular operations are the two main factors in determining the economic
impact of a disaster. When hazards come into contact with a susceptible population or
environment, disasters result. Disasters typically only affect those that are vulnerable
due to differences in money, control over resources, and influence, which creates risk
for those individuals. Disasters are often caused by a combination of political and
economic causes. Hence, altering the current social, economic, and political
circumstances is the greatest way to achieve effective management of hazards and
vulnerable populations, including the environment(Kathleen, 2012). In order to manage
disasters pro-actively, it is essential to take these variables into account. Every step in
the chain of the disaster management cycle's preparedness, response, mitigation,
restoration, and prevention should include this. The disaster management cycle should
give substantial regard to gender because of the social repercussions of disasters and

2
the fact that these effects frequently favor one gender over another(Sakurai and
Murayama, 2019).

Floods are the most frequent catastrophic occurrence and are frequently caused by
heavy precipitation, rapid snowmelt, or a tempest flood from a typhoon or torrent in
seaside areas. Floods and other catastrophic events have a constant impact on millions
of people all over the world. Floods and other extreme weather events are predicted to
happen more frequently and with greater intensity as a result of climate change(Yazdani
et al. 2022). Evaluations of influenced people and financial hardships vary greatly. Flood
catastrophes are becoming more frequent and more powerful around the world as a
result of environmental change; from 2000 to 2009, they nearly quadrupled compared to
the previous decade(Keating et al. 2014). According to the Organization for Economic
Co-activity and Development (OECD) 2016, floods have a continuous impact on up to
250 million people worldwide. Floods cost the world's economy USD 45.9 billion in
losses in 2019, and about 4500 people perished(WRI, 2020).

Shah et al. 2018, asserts that several factors, including heavy downpours, overflowing
waterways, damaged dams, metropolitan drainage basins, storm floods, tsunamis, a
lack of vegetation, a canal with steep sides, melting snow and ice, and others,
contribute to the flood disasters that many countries suffer. Floods are mostly brought
on by prolonged, heavy rain, an abrupt change in circumstances, unplanned
urbanization, a weak drainage system, and ecological degradation. Floods wreaked
havoc on various provinces in Zambia. DDMU reported widespread property damage,
including homes, farmland, and livestock. Many communities were cut off, denying them
access to healthcare and education. Furthermore, sanitation facilities were submerged
completely, exposing the population to a high risk of waterborne diseases. Flooding in
Southern Province affected an estimated 15,000 people from 3,500 households in
January 2022, and flooding in Central Province affected over 20,000 people in January
2023(DMMU, 2023).

Therefore, the objective of this paper is to explain how the disaster and management
cycle is used in flood management. Then, present recommended flood management

3
methods and justify my hiring as a senior disaster management officer. Finally, based
on the findings, it will reach a conclusion.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND MITIGATION UNIT: TRADITION METHODS

Flooding can occur quickly and unexpectedly. In flood-prone areas, it is critical to have a
plan in place to combat rising water. A crisis flood executive plan, as stated by Alamgir
et al., 2020, has four stages: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The
figure below shows a visual representation of the four phases of the flood management
plan.

MITIGATION

This phase includes actions taken to prevent or mitigate disaster causes, impacts, and
consequences. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency 2020,
mitigation efforts are expected to reduce or eliminate the threat of flooding before it
occurrs. Audits, updating construction laws and drafting, implementing geographic
information systems, and other activities are among those undertaken. Mitigation is
used as a strategy to reduce risks before, during, and after the disaster. Mitigation is a
preventative measure taken before a hazard became a disaster.Hazard mitigation
examples include: Using ground anchors to secure homes or barns against wind
damage Water channels are dug to redirect water, and vegetation is planted to absorb

4
water. Building levees or other permanent flood barriers Increasing the strength of
fencing to prevent animal escapes Purchasing insurance policies (FEMA, 2017).

PREPAREDNESS

For events that cannot be avoided, this phase includes planning, training, and
educational activities. The purpose of the preparedness phase is to achieve a sense of
preparedness for the flooding crisis, which includes developing a plan and utilizing
emergency warning systems. As stated by Osti in 2017, hazard recognizable proof from
cataclysmic events such as floods, earthquakes, fire hazards, and typhoons is a critical
prerequisite for readiness and relief. Preparedness educates the community to be ready
and well-prepared for any disaster that might occur, increased awareness of the flood
warning system, and training the community to act quickly and decisively. Exercising
plans through drills, tabletop exercises, and full-scale exercises are also examples of
activities. Making a list of items that will be useful in a disaster, Walking around a farm
and identifying potential high-wind vulnerabilities can also help in preparing for a
disaster(Abid et al. 2022).

RESPONSE

The reaction phase occurs in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. During the
response period, business and other operations are disrupted. The level of
preparedness influences both the duration of the response phase as well as individual
safety and well-being in an emergency. According to Noorhashirin and Juni, 2016, the
response phase is concerned with providing assistance, such as crisis relief and search
and salvage. This phase, entails receiving information about the hazard, organizing
appropriate rescue and relief operations, and providing temporary shelters and basic
facilities while developing a command system for rapid allocation of funds. In addition, it
also looks at taking actions to protect yourself, your family, your animals, and
addressing public perceptions about food safety.

RECOVERY

Restoration initiatives take place alongside routine operations and activities during the
recovery phase. A disaster's recovery process may take a while. Giving temporary

5
housing, entertainment, occasion counseling, and training are prioritized at this phase.
Search and rescue drills, providing food, medical care, and discharge assistance, as
well as swift communication and transport facilities to the impacted area, are the
activities carried out as part of the flood management plan during this phase(Alamgir et
al., 2020).

RECOMMENDED METHODS FOR MANAGEMENT OF DISASTERS

Disaster Risk Management (DRM) is the systematic process of using administrative

directives, organizations, and operational skills and capacities to execute strategies,
policies, and enhanced coping mechanisms to minimize the negative effects of hazards
and the likelihood of disaster (Vogel, 2014). DRM may be used at the local, regional, or
national level. DRM would also be able to decrease the crisis while fostering societal
resilience and having the ability to handle any disaster-related activity. By using DRM as
a tool to lessen the effects of floods on the built environment, it provides guidelines for
identifying who is in charge of each plan and offers the appropriate implementation
when problems develop(Rivera et al. 2015).

Natural Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR) - It is essential for the community to be aware
of NDRR and to have at least some preparation for when flooding strikes the
nation. Understanding the prior flooding experience could lead to the acquisition of
pertinent knowledge. It is crucial to select the knowledge that best applies to the current
scenario. It might be beneficial to add to the success of each choice chosen.(Nurashikin
and Rodger, 2018). Every piece of information should be distributed appropriately to all
parties involved, staff members, communities, and other people who are thought to be
susceptible. A greater receiving and delivering of information could lead to more
informed decision-making. Building resiliency and developing an active flood
catastrophe recovery and response are two important aspects of using knowledge in
other ways(Shaw et al. 2010).

IFM (Integrated Flood Management) is a process that encourages an integrated

approach to flood management as opposed to a fragmented one. IFM is pushing

6
strategies by utilizing the resources already in place and providing preventative
measures in order to lessen the effects of flooding because strengthening the nation's
disaster management calls for a lot of work. Each management and stakeholder may
have a different approach for using the IFM to mitigate flooding. IFM has a few crucial
components(Lin, L., 2018).

Control the entire water cycle; Every organization involved in the floods should be
equipped to address issues that go beyond the typical flood damage. The flood
management team should be prepared to offer any additional strategies for dealing with
a different calamity, such health problems. The most effective flood management is the
one that takes into account broader perspectives, such as understanding the different
types of flooding that can occur, understanding water amount and quality, and
controlling flooding issues accordingly(Rautela, 2016).

Integrate land and water management. Water management and land use planning
should be combined into a single, standardized plan. Flooding hazards mapping and the
meaningful sharing of information across management and authorities are two
examples of the key elements involved. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to develop
sound flood management issues. Handle risk and ambiguity; the effects of flooding may
cause worries or skepticism. Additionally, it can compromise the political, economic, and
social stability. The growing population and the constantly shifting economic landscape
provide significant concerns. A few improvements would need to be made by the
connected organization, including risk identification, risk appraisal, risk reduction, and
risk removal using the defined approach through policies and procedures(Mersal and
Aly, 2016).

Employ the most effective combination of methods. Each management team should
implement the pertinent strategies that are flexible, resiliency-driven, and adaptive to
various types of flooding at any time of the year. The management plans also call for a
short- and long-term approach technique(Shaw et al. 2010).

Assuring a collaborative approach is another of managing floods. When incorporating

IFM into plans, stakeholders should communicate strategically. Clear communication of
the information and data is required. Making decisions should involve consultation and

7
consideration of stakeholder expertise. The "top-down" and "bottom-up" approaches,
along with administration-level cooperation, are a good combination for producing
improved assessments(Nurashikin and Rodger, 2018).

Employ integrated approaches to risk management; holistic problem solving is required.

For managing floods, forecasting and early warning systems are crucial. Additional
methods for lowering the risk of floods include automated telemetric rain gauges,
automated warning sirens, the Short Message System (SMS), telephone, fax, internet,
and river level recorders(ibid).

JUSTIFICATION FOR RECRUITMENT AS SENIOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

OFFICER

To prevent new and reduce existing disaster risk in the country through the
implementation of integrated and inclusive economic, structural, legal, social, health,
cultural, educational, environmental, technological, political and institutional measures
that prevent and reduce hazard exposure and vulnerability to disaster, increase
preparedness for response and recovery, and thus strengthen resilience. If employed as
the senior manager I will incorporate different measures that will help in curbing the
outcomes of a disaster. This will be done by making sure that all the four steps in the
disaster management cycle are operational and funds to ensure that the steps are
functional are efficiently managed. Furthermore, with the knowledge I have acquired in
relation to disaster management I would take a proactive approach in managing the
effects of a disaster. Through this approach I will ensure that that all the needed
resources are available in case of a disaster, and in a case were the disaster can not
prevented there will be resources to implement different strategies to curb the
effects(Khoza et al., 2021).

In addition I will advocate for preventive measures to prevent the onset of floods, such
as building bridges and drainages. The other factor is that I will ensure that the
distribution of emergency services whenever there is a flood meets the needs of the
affected people. This can be done through the engagement of the community as we are
tackling the problem so as to ensure sustainability of the interventions that are put in
place. Similarly education and empowerment can help in making sure that the victims

8
understand things that can cause floods and work towards eliminating them.
Empowerment will help the victims to build on what they have and become independent
given the loses they endure whenever there is a flood. With all these measures will be
able to reduce or avoid the potential losses from hazards, assure prompt and
appropriate assistance to the victims of a disaster, and achieve a rapid and effective
recovery.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the aftermath of flooding may offer opportunities to start a better, more
sustainable shift. One of the continuous improvements is the inclusion of resilience input
throughout the process. The parties involved must be able to prepare for the
unexpected and deal with the situation intelligently. Each management should therefore
have a plan in place to handle the whole scenario. One should anticipate that the
management will be able to handle any situation with flexibility and adaptability. Making
wise decisions is crucial to achieving the goals of decreasing natural disasters. Hence,
everyone, including society, government, professionals, and the commercial sector, has
a responsibility to lessen the effects of flooding. Every choice and behavior is crucial to
determining whether each of them could help in reducing the impact of flooding.

9
REFERENCES

Abid, S.K., Sulaiman, N., Mahmud, N.P.N., Nazir, U. and Adnan, N.A., 2022, January. A
review on the application of remote sensing and geographic information system in flood
crisis management. In Conference on Broad Exposure to Science and Technology.—
2022.

Alamgir, M., Campbell, M.J., Sloan, S., Engert, J., Word, J. and Laurance, W.F., 2020.
Emerging challenges for sustainable development and forest conservation in Sarawak,
Borneo. PloS one, 15(3), p.e0229614.

DMMU, 2023. Zambia – “Catastrophic Situation” After Floods Hit Southern and Central
Province. Available at https://floodlist.com/africa/zambia-floods-southern-central-
province-january-2026. Accessed on 2 March 2023.

FEMA, 2020. Emergency Management in the United States—What Are Four Phases of
Emergency; FEMA: Washington, DC, USA; pp. 1–16.
FEMA, 2017. Emergency Management in the United States—What Are Four Phases of
Emergency; FEMA: Washington, DC, USA; pp. 1–16.
Keating, J.A.; Campbell, K.; Mechler, R.; Michel-Kerjan, E.; Mochizuki, L.S.K.;
Kunreuther, H.; Bayer, J.; Hanger, S.; McCallum, I.; Williges, C.; et al., 2014.
Operationalizing Resilience Against Natural Disaster Risk: Opportunities, Barriers and A
Way forward. Zurich Insur. IIASA Whart

Khoza, S., Nemakonde, L.D. and Ncube, A., 2021. Fundamentals in Disaster Risk Reduction: From Hyogo to
Sendai Framework and Beyond with an Elevation on Climate Change. Cyclones in Southern Africa: Volume 2:
Foundational and Fundamental Topics, pp.73-86.

Kathleen Geale, S., 2012. The ethics of disaster management. Disaster Prevention and
Management: an international journal, 21(4), pp.445-462.

Lin, L., 2018. Integrating a national risk assessment into a disaster risk management
system: Process and practice. International journal of disaster risk reduction, 27,
pp.625-631.

10
Mersal, F.A. and Aly, R.A.E.S., 2016. Developing disaster management and first aid
guidelines for school teachers in Cairo Egypt. Journal of Nursing Education and
Practice, 6(7), p.41.

Noorhashirin, H. and Juni, M.H., 2016. Assessing Malaysian disaster preparedness for
flood. International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences, 3(2), pp.1-15.

Nurashikin, M. and Rodger, E., 2018. Towards Sustainable Development in Malaysian

Natural Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR). OIDA International Journal of Sustainable
Development, 11(08), pp.41-54.

OECD, 2016. Insuring flood risk. Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and
Development, Financial Management of Flood Risk.

Osti, R.P., 2017. Asian Development Bank. Strengthening Flood Risk Management
Policy and Practice in the People’s Republic of China. Available
online: https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/391621/eawp-
011.pdf (accessed on 2 March 2023).
Rautela, P., 2016. Lack of scientific recordkeeping of disaster incidences: A big hurdle
in disaster risk reduction in India. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 15,
pp.73-79.

Rivera, C., Tehler, H. and Wamsler, C., 2015. Fragmentation in disaster risk
management systems: A barrier for integrated planning. International Journal of
Disaster Risk Reduction, 14, pp.445-456.

Shah, A.A., Ye, J., Abid, M., Khan, J. and Amir, S.M., 2018. Flood hazards: household
vulnerability and resilience in disaster-prone districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,
Pakistan. Natural hazards, 93, pp.147-165.

Sakurai, M. and Murayama, Y., 2019. Information technologies and disaster

management–Benefits and issues. Progress in Disaster Science, 2, p.100012.

Shaluf, I.M., 2007. Disaster types. Disaster Prevention and Management: An

International Journal.

11
Shaw, R., Pulhin, J.M. and Pereira, J.J., 2010. Climate change adaptation and disaster
risk reduction: An Asian perspective. In Climate change adaptation and disaster risk
reduction: An Asian perspective (Vol. 5, pp. 1-18). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Quarantelli, E.L. ed., 1998. What is a disaster?: perspectives on the question.

Psychology Press.

Vogel, S., 2014. On alienation from the built environment. Ethical theory and moral
practice, 17, pp.87-96.

World Resources Institute, 2020. Flooding Could Worsen Impacts of COVID-19 and
Other Infectious Diseases; Washington, DC, USA, Available
online: https://www.wri.org/news/release-new-data-shows-millions-people-trillions-
property-risk-flooding-infrastructure (accessed on 2 March 2023).

Yazdani, M., Mojtahedi, M., Loosemore, M. and Sanderson, D., 2022. A modelling
framework to design an evacuation support system for healthcare infrastructures in
response to major flood events. Progress in disaster science, 13, p.100218.

12