FLOODS

INDEX
1. INTRODUCTION
-Types of Floods
-Causes of Floods
2. EFFECTS OF FLOOD/ DAMAGES FROM FLOODS
-Flood Prone Areas in India
-Case Study
3. FLOOD MANAGEMENT- STRUCTURAL & NON-STRUCTURAL
-Mitigation measures for Urban Flooding
4. CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES/ DESIGN GUIDELINES (On Building
Level)
 FLOOD
WHAT IS FLOOD?
• A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry.

WHY ARE FLOODS CAUSED?

• Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies, such as
a river, lake, or ocean, in which the water overtops or breaks levees, resulting in
some of that water escaping its usual boundaries,[ or it may occur due to an
accumulation of rainwater on saturated ground in an areal flood.
• While the size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes
in precipitation and snow melt, these changes in size are unlikely to be considered
significant unless they flood property or drown domestic animals.
• While the size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes
in precipitation and snow melt, these changes in size are unlikely to be considered
significant unless they flood property or drown domestic animals.
• Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods, can develop in just a
few minutes and without visible signs of rain. 
• Additionally, floods can be local, impacting a neighborhood or community, or very
large, affecting entire river basins.
TYPES OF FLOODS
FLASH FLOODS
• In areas with steep slopes, heavy rain can cause a riverbed that held very little or
no water at first, to suddenly brim with fast flowing water.
• The rain water is collected on the slopes, then flows downhill gathering speed and
all the water comes together in the river bed. The water level rises fast. The water
flows over the river banks and floods the area.
• It all happens fast, it rains heavily. The water flows at high speed. Because of this
speed it has the strength to carry away heavy objects.
• A flash flood is a very direct response to rainfall with a very high intensity or
sudden massive melting of snow.
• The area covered by water in a flash flood is relatively small compared to other
types of floods. The amount of water that covers the land is usually not very large,
but is so concentrated on a small area that it can rise very high.
COASTAL FLOODING
• Coastal flood is when the coast is flooded by the sea.
• The cause of such a surge is a severe storm. The storm wind pushes the water up
and creates high waves.
• A storm is formed in al low pressure area, as you may know. An interesting fact is
that beneath a low pressure area the sea level is higher.
• A flood starts when waves move inland on an undefended coast or overtop or
breach the coastal defense works like dunes and dikes.
• The waves attack the shore time and again. When it is a sandy coast, each wave in
a storm will take sand away. Eventually a dune may collapse that way.
• Very characteristic of a coastal flood is that the water level drops and rises with the
tide. At high tide the water may flow in and at low tide it may recede again. 
• When a sea defense is breached, low tide is the time to repair the breach.
URBAN FLOODING (Flooding in Urban Areas)
• Urban flooding is specific in the fact that the cause is a lack of drainage in an urban
area.
• As there is little open soil that can be used for water storage nearly all the
precipitation needs to be transport to surface water or the sewage system.
•  High intensity rainfall can cause flooding when the city sewage system and
draining canals do not have the necessary capacity to drain away the amounts of
rain that are falling.
• Water may even enter the sewage system in one place and then get deposited
somewhere else in the city on the streets. Sometimes you see dancing drain
covers.
• Roads can be blocked, people can’t go to work or to schools. The economic
damages are high but the number of casualties is usually very limited, because of
the nature of the flood.
• The water slowly rises on the city streets. When the city is on flat terrain the flow
speed is low and you can still see people driving through it.
• The water rises relatively slow and the water level usually does not reach life
endangering heights.
 FLUVIAL FLOODS (Flooding from rivers overtopping
their banks or breaking through dikes)
• Rainfall over an extended period and an extended area can cause major rivers to
overflow their banks. 
• The water can cover enormous areas. Downstream areas may be affected, even
when they didn’t receive much rain themselves.
• With large rivers the process is relatively slow.
• The rain water enters the river in many ways. Some rain will fall into the river
directly, but that alone doesn’t make the river rise high. A lot of rain water will run
off the surface when the soil is saturated or hard.
• While the water level slowly rises, officials can decide to evacuate people before
the river overflows. The area that is flooded can be huge. Villages surrounded by
large stretches of water were cattle would normally graze.
• Whole communities can become isolated from the rest of the world as roads are
blocked and communications are down. 
• When a dike or a dam breaks and a lot of water is released suddenly, the speed of
the water at the breach can be compared with the speed of a flash flood.
• As a larger area gets covered the speed will be reduced. The water spreads out as
much as possible flowing to the lower lying areas before slowly rising.
PLUVIAL FOODS (Flooding from Ponds/Ponding)
• Ponding is a type of flooding that can happen in relatively flat areas.
• Rain water falling in an area is normally stored in the ground, in canals or lakes, or
is drained away, or pumped out. When more rainwater enters a water system than
can be stored, or can leave the system, flooding occurs.
• In this case, rain is the source of the flood: not water coming from a river, but
water on its way to the river. That's why it is also called "pluvial flood".
• Puddles and ponds develop on the land, canals are filled to brim and spill over;
gradually a layer of water covers the land. It is like urban flooding, but without the
sewage systems and in more rural areas.
• Because of the gradual character people have time to go indoors or leave the
area. 
• The layer of water is no more than centimeters or perhaps decimeters high and
causes no immediate threat to people’s lives. 
• Depending on the economic activity and size of the area that is covered it may
cause immense economic damage.
 EFFECTS OF FLOOD:-

The damage to property (houses, schools,

factories, roads) is called material damage. After
the flood people can experience emotional
problems. They may have lost their sense of
security and have difficulty sleeping when it
rains or storms, for instance. This is called
immaterial damage.
For the people in the area a flood is always a
misery. People can be trapped at home because
the water is so high that you cannot go out. No
power, no gas. It is cold and you cannot cook. Or
even worse: people drown. People in their
homes, or people trying to leave the area, who
get stuck in a traffic jam. Or people can be
washed away by the speed of the in-flowing
water.
 The consequences for people depend
on the amount of water; the speed
with which the water rises; whether
they can evacuate; the strength and
height of the houses and whether
they are able to stay home to wait out
the flood in a good way. For that you
need food and drinking water,
blankets and clothes to keep warm.

 Cattle may drown, harvests fail.

Homes, businesses, hospitals,
churches, museums: all buildings that
flood will be damaged. How much
damage depends on the height of the
water, the value of the building and
the susceptibility to water damage. A
company can be damaged not only
directly by the water by also
indirectly: it may have to close down
and therefore will earn no money. If
this situation lasts, the customer will
go looking for another company to do
business with.
 Also for nature a flood is often a
disaster. Animals drown. Salt
water kills freshwater plants and
fish. Flood water may be
contaminated or polluted. For
example, if a chemical factory is
flooded, toxic substances can be
immersed and distributed.
Deceases can spread through the
water.

 The table shows four groups of

consequences of floods. Direct
consequences happen at the time
of the floods. Indirect occur later,
after the floodwater has gone.
Tangible damages can be directly
calculated by their economic
value. Intangible damages do not
have a monetary value.
Data required for Flood plain Mapping:
Land Surface Reference Information: Land surface reference information
describes streams, roads, buildings, and administrative boundaries that show the background
context for mapping the flood hazard zone. The older paper maps contain only vector data
(points, lines, and polygons) to describe all land surface reference features. Modern maps
typically use a digital orthophoto or a high resolution satellite image as  the base map,
supplemented by planimetric vector data for key map features (e.g., roads, building locations
and other infrastructure) and administrative boundaries (e.g., city or taluk boundaries) that
cannot be observed in photographs and satellite images.
Topographic Data: Topographic data are the most important factor in determining
water surface elevations, base flood elevation, and the extent of flooding. Topography defines
the shape of the land surface, which is important in defining the direction, velocity, and depth
of flood flows. Topographic data have traditionally been derived from topographic maps or by
land surveying. The very large areal extent of modern floodplain maps, which cover tens of
thousands of kilometres of streams and shorelines, demands that land surface elevation data
must be derived from mapped sources, not from land surveying.
Land Subsidence: Land subsidence generally occurs when groundwater is mined in an
unplanned manner. This is more evident in areas that are underlain by fine-grained sediments.
Decline of groundwater table causes a vertical compression of sediments, leading to
subsidence of the ground surface.  There can be indirect effects such as a change in gradient
of streams or drains. Subsidence not only leads to damage of infrastructure (roads, bridges),
but also increases the vulnerability to flooding, particularly when the drainage systems of the
city or town is ineffective. Since such ground subsidence is a continuous process, data on
ground subsidence needs to be collected periodically in order to keep the flood zone maps
Flood Zone Map of
India
The major flood prone
regions in India are
Punjab, Haryana, most of
the Gangetic plains
including Uttar Pradesh,
North Bihar and West
Bengal, the Brahmaputra
valley, coastal Andhra
Pradesh and Orissa, and
South Gujarat. Among
the severely affected
areas are the
Brahmaputra valleys,
north Bihar (Kosi River
and north Gangetic
plain) and lower West
Bengal.
Apart from these, floods affect large areas in the
following belts:
1. The lower courses of rivers in the north Indian
plains get silted and change their courses.
These areas lie in the states of Punjab,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
2. The tributaries of the Indus – the Jhelum,
Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Chenab – cause floods in
Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, western
Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
Inadequate drainage in parts of Haryana and
Punjab is the main cause of inundation.
3. Certain areas in central India and the peninsula
get flooded by the Narmada, Tapti, Chambal,
Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and Pennar.
4. Certain areas along the east coast get flooded
due to cyclonic storms.
According to the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), sea levels have been rising
about 3 mm per year since 1993 – totalling a 200
mm increase (7.87 inches) in global averaged sea
level since 1870.. 
CASE STUDY -UTTARAKHAND FLOODS(2013):-
INTRODUCTION
• Origin- from 14 to 17 June 2013, the Indian state of
Uttarakhand and adjoining areas received heavy
rainfall, which was about 375% more than the
benchmark rainfall during a normal monsoon. This
caused the melting of Chorabari glacier at the height
of 3800 metres, and eruption of the Mandakini river.
• Warning alert- warnings by the India meteorological
department predicting heavy rains were not given
wide publicity beforehand, causing thousands of
people to be caught unaware, resulting in huge loss
of life and property.
• Entire villages and settlements such asgaurikand,
and the market town of rambada, a transition point
to kedarnath, have been obliterated, while the
market town of sonprayag suffered heavy damage
and loss of rivers.
• Over 70000 people were struck in various regions
because of damaged or blocked roads
• National highway an important artery connecting
the region was also washed away near jyotirmath
and in many other places.
• About 5700 people were presumed to have died.
• Most of the destruction at Kedarnath was caused
by sudden melting of ice and snow in the
kedarnath mountain.
• The villagers who depend on spring water
suffered various types of health problems such as
fewer, diarrhoea due to contaminated water by
decomposed dead bodies which had not been
removed even after a week.
•  Blocked roads and settled villages
•  Damaged national highway
•  Rescue operation
• The army, air force, navy, indo-tibetan border
police, border security force, national disaster
rescue force, public works departments and local
administrations worked together for quick rescue
operations. Several thousand soldiers were
deployed for the rescue mission.
• Activists of political and social organisations are
also involved
 MAJOR CAUSES
• At the peak of the monsoon season the northern state of Uttarakhand was face
to face with floods caused due to the cloud burst that hit three of the four
famous Char Dham pilgrim sites, “2013 North India floods” (n.d.) leaving tens and
thousands of inhabitants as well as pilgrims stranded or swept away due to the
floods, and not to mention the damage cause to life, property and business.

• The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), in one of its first reports
on the Uttarakhand floods, has blamed “climatic conditions combined with
haphazard human intervention” in the hills for the disaster .Besides the natural
disaster various other factors have contributed to the downfall of this famous
religious/ tourist site.

• Uttarakhand’s huge potential in tourism lead to the state in tapping its potential
towards becoming a major tourist and pilgrim destination, also has a hand in this
disaster. The uncontrolled rise of tourism inflow into the sate of Uttarakhand,
took a toll on the ecology of the state. With Uttarakhand’s proximity to the
national capital, the weekend revelers soon found Uttarakhand to be the
destination to beat the heat. Plus, the religious tourists found it much easier to
travel to-not-so accessible Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and other shrines, all
this lead to an unsustainable rise in the number of people traveling to
Uttarakhand (Bisht, 2013). The number of 'pilgrims' has been steadily increasing,
with people from the plains interested in a quick guided tour of the hills in a
vehicle...the local authorities have ignored the carrying capacity and cumulative
impact of dams and illegal construction on the fragile Himalayas.
• This steady rise in tourist inflow resulted in other
detrimental issues such as heavy traffic and
roadblocks, with tourists routinely complaining
about the bad roads and how it affected their travel
time, the government resorted to widen the roads so
as to accommodate the tourist’s inflow. Considering
the fragility of these mountains, Himalayas being the
youngest of the mountain ranges in the world with
very poor soil stability the roads would routinely
cave in or get washed away during monsoons
• The rising tourism industry lured the land sharks and
they erected multi-storied hotels, flouting all
environmental norms. Thousands of such resorts and
hotels have mushroomed in this eco-sensitive zone
in the last few years. Some of these hotels were built
on banks of several small and big rivers just to give
the tourist a bird’s eye view of the pristine river
flowing through the valley . The number of hotels
has also seen a similar rise in the recent past., traffic
in the hills has increased hugely, with the number of
vehicles registered in the hills going up sharply.
Remember the hills are delicate and unstable, so it
takes little to set off landslides. More infrastructure
has in fact worsened the situation since much of it is
poorly made and constructed by people who have
no idea of building in the hills
• All the above factors has had a crucial role
to play in the disaster, but as the report
provisioned by the Comptroller and
Auditor General (CAG) showed that not
only was the disaster aggravated due to
rise tourism but also blame lands in the
faults of the State Disaster Management
Authority which was formed in 2007, but
never was a meeting convened nor were
there any rules, regulations, policies or
guidelines framed, "the state disaster
management plan was under preparation
and actionable programmes were not
prepared for various disasters," the report
says. Going to show that the state was
unprepared to face a sudden crisis, “citing
examples of the mismanagement by the
Uttarakhand government, the CAG said
that although the Geological Survey of
India had identified 101 villages as
'vulnerable' in June 2008, the state
government did not take any measures for
their rehabilitation till date”.
Steps in Disaster Management
One of the many means of avoiding extensive damage caused by disasters is by being
well prepared to face them. So as to ready the state of Uttarakhand with ways of
combating unexpected disasters, an effective disaster management plan is to be
implemented. The following are some of the steps that can be taken toward framing a
disaster management plan.
The Pre-Disaster Stage:
This stage focuses on minimizing the damage to life, property and environment is that
before the disaster strikes and at the prohibition stage, various schemes are drafted for
controlling the losses to lives and property to minimize the effects of disaster. There are
several techniques to embark upon this stage where the disaster has not occurred,
wherein there is a call for being better prepared and to have an effective of warning
mechanism prior to the disaster.
Preparedness
It refers to the readiness, on the governmental, social and personal levels, to
effectively face the disaster that has already visited and it includes practical disaster-
layouts.
Here, the local residents along with the state officials need to be sensitized
regarding the measures to be taken when faced by a crisis, such as landslides,
floods, earthquakes etc. So in case of such emergencies they can take necessary
action.
The Warning of Disaster
It is very crucial that immediately after receiving slightest hint of a disaster, the
information about its advent reaches the entire danger-prone area. In the case of
Uttarakhand it was seen that the State Disaster Management Authority did not have
a scheme so as to curtail the disaster nor were the warnings issued by the
meteorology department taken seriously.
Response and Relief Measures:
This includes a wide range of activities including the erection of control booths,
action according to the action-plan drafted, the broadcasting of danger notice.
Post the disaster various relief measures were initiated by the authorities in forms
of rescue missions by the Indian Armed Forces, so as to rescue victims and
provide rehabilitation and in monetary terms to reconstruct the destination.
The Post – Disaster Stage:
While restoring the state to normalcy, it is also equally necessary to ensure that if,
unfortunately, the disaster revisits, the extent of damage is lesser. Restoration
includes assistance, rehabilitation and reconstruction. “In addition to this, many
protective steps will be taken to prevent if same calamity recurs in any case. It is
decided to keep a track of the pilgrims – Indian as well as foreigners. Moreover,
this time efforts will be made to handle things thoroughly and systematically
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT PLAN

• Flood management means methods to reduce or prevent the detrimental

effects of flood.
• National Flood Control Program started in 1954.
• Flood Management Program of Ministry of Water Resources, GOI is to
assist states for river management, flood control, anti-erosion, drainage
development, flood proofing, restoration of damaged flood management
works, and anti-sea erosion.
• XI Plan (2007-12) had 406 schemes in 19 states with outlay of Rs. 8,000 crs.
and 80% funding by GOI. Rs. 7,575 invested
• Recommendation for XII Plan, Rs 16,000 crs.
• Central Water Commission is the nodal agency
• ISRO - sensors platform, provide satellite data, monitors real-time impact
of extreme weather, R&D for improvement. Flood inundation mapping to
MHA and states. In 2013, 109 maps were created.

 
 
Flood Forecasting and Warning

• Indian Metrological Department forecasts rains.

• District level forecasts on the webpage for all 604 districts, including
thunder storm warning
• Every Friday 2 week qualitative outlook
• 215 cities forecast for 7 days
• Weather warning 3 days in advance
• 15 Doppler weather radars are used, one of them at Jaipur
• 10 Flood Metrological Offices
 
FLOOD PREVENTION, AND PREPAREDNESS AND
MITIGATION
 
National Flood Risk Mitigation Project – “This
project aims to mitigate consequences of
floods by improving capacity for effective
preparedness, promptness in response and to
assess the risk and vulnerabilities associated
with floods” (Government of India, 2011. p.
25).
 MEASURES TO MITIGATE URBAN FLOODING
1. Master Plan of a town, areas vulnerable to flooding are to be delineated for which
Flood zoning Maps are to be prepared and appropriate development control is to
be prescribed based on the degree of risk associated.

2. An inventory of drainage and sewerage system for the entire city is to be

prepared and mapped into Utility maps. Water logging, Sewerage and Drainage
improvement /augmentation needs can be addressed.

3. Water Resource Management Plan is needed for identifying areas receiving high
rainfall and low rainfall along with coefficient of runoff.

4. Action plan for preventive measures like raising the height of river embankment,
afforestation in the catchment areas of river, periodic review of water flow from
the barrages and information on the water discharge so that steps may be taken in
advance to rehabilitate people likely to be affected by floods.
 
5. Strict enforcement of Zoning regulations and Building Bye-Laws is needed in flood
prone areas. In Master Plans, the Flood plains need to be declared as litter free and
construction zone and may be designated for intensive agriculture/horticulture.

6. For major land use changes, impact assessment should be made mandatory for the
towns with sparse open spaces / green or are vulnerable to encroachment /
development to reduce the chances of flooding.

7. Slope analysis and runoffs need to be assessed with areas of natural vegetation and
plans must take these aspects into account.

8. Strict periodic cleaning of urban drains and sewer lines is to be carried out by the
ULBs and Development Authorities including screening chambers to reduce the
chances of flooding during monsoons.
 STRUCTURAL MEASURES FOR FLOOD MANAGEMENT
 
The main thrust of the flood protection programme undertaken in India so far has
been on structural measures.

1. Embankments/Banks, Flood Walls, Flood Levees:

The embankment system in the river restricts the river to its existing course and
prevents it from overflowing the banks.
In developed areas where adequate space is not available or land is very
expensive, concrete or masonry floodwalls are constructed. Embankments
(including ring bunds and town-protection works) are the most popular method
of flood protection and have been constructed extensively in the past.
Embankments are designed and constructed to afford a degree of protection
against floods of a certain frequency and intensity or against the maximum
recorded flood depending upon the location protected and their economic
justification.
Embankment
2. Dams, Reservoirs and other Water Storages:
 
Lakes, low lying depressions, tanks, dams and reservoirs store significant
proportions of flood water and the stored water can be released subsequently
when the flood has receded.
The stored water can also be used subsequently for irrigation, power generation,
and meeting industrial and drinking water needs. In the case of large multipurpose
reservoirs, a proper reservoir regulation schedule can be worked out for optimum
benefit from the project as a whole.
Detention Reservoir

Retarding Reservoir
3. Channel Improvement:
A channel can be made to carry flood discharge at levels lower than its prevailing
high flood level by improving its discharge carrying capacity.

Channel improvement aims at increasing the area of flow or the velocity of flow
(or both) to increase its carrying capacity. Channel improvement has not been
resorted to widely in India mainly because of the high costs involved and
topographical constraints. However, it is of advantage to take up such work for
local reaches.
4. Desilting/Dredging of Rivers :
 Silting at places where the rivers emerge from the hills into the plains, at convex
bends and near their outfall into another river or lake or sea, is a natural
phenomenon. Accordingly, rivers exhibit a tendency to braid/meander/form
deltas. Various committees/ experts appointed to look into this problem have not
recommended desilting/dredging of the rivers as a remedial measure. Selective
desilting/dredging at outfalls/confluences or local reaches can, however, be
adopted as a measure to tackle the problem locally.
 5. Drainage Improvement:
 Surface water drainage congestion due to inadequacy of natural or manmade
drainage channels results in flooding in many areas. In such cases constructing new
channels and/or improving the capacity of existing channels constitute an effective
means of flood control. However, the possibility of drainage congestion and
flooding in the downstream area is to be kept in mind while formulating such
schemes.
 6. Diversion of Flood Water:
  Diverting all or a part of the discharge into a natural or artificially constructed
channel, lying within or in some cases outside the flood plains is a useful means of
lowering water levels in the river.

The diverted water may be taken away from the river without returning it further
downstream or it may be returned to the river some distance downstream or to a
lake or to the sea. This measure can be used successfully to prevent flooding
around cities.

The flood spill channel skirting Srinagar city and the supplementary drain in Delhi
are examples of diverting excess water to prevent flooding of the urbanized areas.
7. Catchment Area Treatment/Afforestation:

Watershed management measures such as developing the vegetative cover i.e.

afforestation and conservation of soil cover in conjunction with structural works
like check dams, detention basins etc. serve as an effective measure in reducing
flood peaks and controlling the suddenness of the runoff. This, however is not
very effective during a large flood although, it does help in reducing the siltation
of reservoirs and to some extent, silt load in the rivers as well.
8. Anti-erosion Works:
The anti- erosion measures in the form of revetment or pitching along with launching
apron and spurs of earth protected by amour of stones or spurs of loose stones or
stones in wire-mesh crates aim at increasing resistance of the bank to erosion and
deflecting the current away from the bank. These generally shift the problem in
the upstream or the downstream and necessitate further works to safeguard the
land against erosion.
 Measures such as permeable spurs, porcupine spurs made of bamboos or of
reinforced cement concrete elements reduce the velocity of flow and thus prevent
erosion and induce siltation in the vicinity of the bank. Geo-synthetic material
(woven geotextile) available in various forms like big bags and tubes etc. can be
filled in-site with riverbed sand to form the groynes, spurs and revetments.
9. Sea Walls/Coastal Protection Works:

The erosion of land by the sea waves in coastal areas is a serious problem. Sea
walls/coastal protection works in the form of groynes etc. are constructed to
prevent flooding erosion in coastal areas by sea water.
NON-STRUCTURAL MEASURES :
 
Non-structural measures strive to keep people away from flood waters.
It contemplates the use of flood plains judiciously, simultaneously
permitting vacating of the same for use by the river whenever the
situation demands. This technique allows the use of flood plains by
reducing the disaster dimension, while retaining its beneficial
effects.
1. Flood Plain Zoning
• It is natural for a river to overflow its banks in the event of heavy rainfall in its
upper catchments and spill into the flood plains, which are basically its domain.
Extensive and often unplanned use of flood plains by man disregarding the basic
fact that it is part and parcel of the river leads to damage.

• This is one of the main factors responsible for the flood damage reported from
different parts of the country in spite of substantial investments in the flood sector.

• The basic concept of flood plain zoning is to regulate land use in the flood plains in
order to restrict the damage due to floods, while deriving maximum benefits from
the same.
2. Flood Proofing
• Flood proofing measures help greatly in the mitigation of distress and provide
immediate relief to the population in flood prone areas.

• It is essentially a combination of structural change and emergency action, not

involving any evacuation. The techniques adopted consist of providing raised
platforms for flood shelter for men and cattle, raising the public utility installation
especially the platforms for drinking water hand pumps and bore wells above flood
level, promoting construction of double-storey buildings wherein the first floor can be
used for taking shelter during floods.

• In case of urban areas, certain measures that should be taken up as soon as flood
warning is received, are installation of removable covers such as steel or aluminum
bulk heads over doors and windows, permanent closure of low level windows and
other openings, keeping store counters on wheels, closing of sewer wells, anchoring
and covering machinery and equipment with plastic sheets, etc.
 In the existing developed areas, possibilities of protecting against submergence or
relocating to safer areas vital installations like electricity sub-stations/ power
houses, telephone exchanges, the pumping stations meant for drinking water
supply etc., will be seriously examined and appropriate measures will be
undertaken by the state governments/SDMAs, to make them safe against floods.
 
3. Flood Forecasting and Warning
 Flood forecasting enables us to be forewarned as to when the river is going to use its
flood plain, to what extent and for how long.

4. Medical Preparedness
•  Public relief – Evacuation of communities along with their live stocks and other
valuables.

• Temporary shelters
 
Construction techniques
as per the building elements
FOUNDATION
• All buildings must be properly anchored to resist, flotation, collapse, and lateral
movement.
• The top of the lowest floor must elevated to, or above, the required elevation
• Basements are not permitted. To be compliant, existing below-grade areas must be
backfilled.
• Walls of enclosed areas below elevated homes must have flood openings
PLINTH
PLINTH
 Cement Stabilization Stabilization of the typical earthen plinth can be carried out with
a mixture of earth and cement.
 The proportion of cement to be added depends on the nature of the soil (see section
4.2.2), which can easily be tested on site.
 For soil with more than 40% sandy-silty particles, 5% cement additive is adequate. For
soil with less sandy content, sand has to be added to raise the content above 40% and
may require a somewhat higher proportion of cement additive.
 Test blocks should be made on site to determine the suitability and proportions of the
mixture, keeping in mind the above point.
 Soil should be crushed and sieved into a fine form and cement in the right proportion
to be added in dry state.
 Moistened with water and should be immediately used. Wet mixture left unused for
too long becomes unusable as it begins to set and harden.
 Stabilization works best together with compaction. Can be cast and compacted by
hand and finished with a trowel. For further compaction, a simple hand rammer or
wooden battens can be used.
 At least 3 weeks curing by water should be done. Can be covered by jute sacks to keep
moist and water poured at regular intervals to avoid drying.
 Capping the plinth with cement stabilized earth is cheaper, easier to construct and
maintain.
 Complete stabilized earth plinth is more expensive and harder to construct, but the
results are more durable.
Cement stabilized earthen plinth
Brick Perimeter Wall
 A brick perimeter wall around the
typical earthen plinth resists erosion
from the sides.
 Soil cover on the foundation should
be thoroughly compacted and
should preferably have plant or
grassy cover to prevent scouring
during flood.
Brick and Concrete
 This is a relatively expensive option, but
more durable and flood-resistant.
 Should properly compact sub-base soil to
avoid settlement. If necessary, can
provide a layer of sand filling.
 If soil is too weak or loose, a layer of brick
soling should be provided.
 Soil cover on the foundation should be
thoroughly compacted and should
preferably have plant or grassy cover to
prevent scouring during flood. House with cement concrete plinth
 4 inch cement concrete base slab @
1:5:10 = cement : sand : aggregate (brick
chips, 1½ inch nominal size).
 1 inch cement concrete topping @ 1:2:4
= cement : sand : aggregate (fine brick
chips).

Cement concrete flooring detail

WALL
 Cross-Bracing
 To increase stability and
windresistance of the structural
frame of bamboo-framed houses,
crossbracing with split bamboo
sections should be done.
 If a house become weakened at its
base due to flood, cross-bracing
helps to keep the structure stable.
 Split bamboo sections used for cross-
bracing should be treated with
chemical preservatives so that they
do not decay easily and lose their
strength.
 Instead of jute or coir rope, nylon
rope or good quality galvanized wire
should be used for tying the
elements of the structural frame.
Strengthening Earthen Walls

 For areas with heavy rainfall and

flood, it is essential for earthen
houses to have an internal structural
framework.
 After rainfall or flood recedes, earth
cover that may get washed away can
be renewed without compromising
the structural stability of the house.
 Framework can be of bamboo or
timber which should be treated
against decay.
 Earth to be used as plaster or daubing
without serving as structural
element. Adding cement to the mud
plaster stabilizes it and allows
resisting erosion.
ROOFING
Wind-Resistant Roofing
 Protection against wind-hazard
contributes to the overall
improvement of housing in
flood-prone regions.
 Four basic principles should be
followed:
1. Aerodynamic roof form:
Roof pitch 30º- 40° to reduce
effects of suction and uplift.
2. Roof connected to structure:
Strong connections between roof
and vertical structure. Metal
straps, bolts with washers on both
ends instead of simple nails.
3. Well-fixed roof covering:
Use of J-hook bolts and threaded/
twisted roofing nails.
Rainwater Gutter
 Rainwater gutters prevent creation of furrows
around plinth by rain falling down from roof
eaves.
 They also prevent rainwater splashing on walls.
Arsenic-free rainwater can be collected for
household use by keeping a container where
the water drains down.
 4 inch diameter PVC (polyvinyl chloride, i.e.
plastic) pipe can be cut into half lengthwise
using a saw. House being built with a gutter
 MS (mild steel) flat bar brackets can be screwed
to rafters or wall plate to hold gutter.
 If brackets prove too difficult or expensive to
make, GI (galvanized iron) wire or nylon rope
can also be used for attaching gutter.

PVC pipe rainwater gutter detail

COLUMN
Hollow Concrete Stump

 Polythene sheets to be spread on the

ground and a 2-sided wooden
shuttering placed.
 For each kaatla, at one end a 10-12
inch long ¼ inch MS flat bar clamp
and in the other a 2 inch diameter
(outer) PVC pipe lubricated with
sump oil to be placed in position
according to dimensions specified in.
 Casting is to be done with a 1:4:4
(cement : sand : aggregate – ½ inch
brick chips) mix to make 4 inch x 5
inch x 2 feet kaatla.
 Few hours after casting, the PVC pipe
is slowly drawn out, leaving a part of
the kaatla hollow.
 At least 3 weeks curing by water is
necessary.
 To prevent rust, the MS clamps can
be painted with molten bitumen.
Hollow Cylindrical RC Post

 RC posts can be made cylindrical and hollow,

somewhat akin to a pipe, instead of the usual solid
square section type, yet retaining the flood-
resistant properties.
 Lighter and hence easier to transport and handle;
30-40% less expensive because of materials
savings; Better hand grip because of cylindrical
shape; No corner chipping, a common problem in
regular RC posts.
DESIGN ASPECTS
1. Keeping Dry:
• Extended roof eaves to be used to
prevent direct wetting of walls during
rain.
• Rainwater gutters can be used to
discharge water away from the house.
2. Avoiding Ground Contact :
• Concrete stump or if affordable, brick
plinth should be used to support
bamboo posts.
• between wall bottom and floor. Also
allows prevention of termite
infestation.
3. Ventilation : Design aspect of building a bamboo house
• Roof space should be left exposed to
allow better airflow and ventilation
• If ceiling is used, it should allow
ventilation and should be accessible
for maintenance
4. Elevation of Structure
Significant flood resistant improvement can be obtained if the structure has
the lowest floors elevated to design flood elevation. Design flood elevation
includes wave height relative to a datum determined based on the flood
hazard map of the area.
LANDSCAPING
Planting Criteria
THANK YOU

SUBMITTED BY:
Shreya Goyal (14)
Shruti Sharma (17)
Swapnil Yadav (28)
Tarishi Y. Kumawat (31)
Uzma Zaki (32)