Flooding - Case Study

Rich and Poor parts of the world are affected differently by Flooding. 

Flood in a rich part of the world: 

Place: Carlisle, England

Date: 8th January, 2005

River: Eden 

Causes

• Heavy rainfall - 200mm of rain fell in 36 hours. 
• The continuous rainfall saturated the soil, increasing runoff into the River Eden. 
• Carlisle is a large urban area - impermeable materials like concrete increased runoff. 
• This caused the discharge of the River Eden to reach 1520 cumecs (its average discharge is 52 cumecs).

Primary Effects

• 3 deaths.
• Around 3000 people were made homeless.
• 4 schools were severely flooded.
• 350 businesses were shut down. 
• 70 000 addresses lost power. 
• Some roads and bridges were damaged. 
• Rivers were polluted with rubbish and sewage. 

Secondary Effects

• Children lost out on education - one school was closed for months. 
• Stress-related illnesses increased after the floods.
• Around 3000 jobs were at risk in businesses affected by the foods. 

Immediate Responses

• People were evacuated from the areas that flooded. 
• Reception centres were opened around Carlisle to provide food and drinks for evacuees. 
• Temporary accommodation was set up…