A Framework for Flood Risk Analysis and Assessment of Floods in Fiji Islands
Covello and Merkhoher (2013) define risk assessment as the process that can be used to point out the potential hazards. The process also analyzes the possibilities of what can happen in case the hazard occurs. Moreover, potential impacts caused by the hazards are identified hence developing possible ways of mitigating the hazard or possibly avoid it. This exposition explores on the framework for flood scenario where there are several impacts that may unfold in case the floods are experienced.
The floods may cause different scenarios in the affected geographical locations based on the magnitude, timing, and where the hazard occurs (Bubeck, Botzen & Aerts, 2012). Hazards impose several assets and people at risk. Therefore, the first thing to consider in risk assessment is the possibility of injuries and deaths caused by the floods. All hazards should be assessed and analyzed to provide the necessary emergency plans that can tackle such scenarios (Lees, 2012). Other assets that can be at risk due to flooding cases include buildings, machinery, finished goods and information technology.
While conducting the risk assessment and analysis, it is vital to consider the potential impact of the hazard to the environment in relation to the customers, stakeholders and the surrounding community (Covello & Merkhoher, 2013). It is important to point out the situations that might lead to the named groups losing confidence in the organization carrying the risk assessment and analysis. While conducting the risk assessment, the vulnerabilities that may make the assets and the community more susceptible to the hazard are identified. Such vulnerabilities include security, loss prevention programs, building construction and process systems (Lees, 2012). These aspects contribute to the severity of the damages caused in the process of the hazard. Mitigation strategy is the ultimate solution that can be developed upon completion of the assessment and analysis. Bubeck et al. (2012) opine that the impact of flooding can be very severe in countries with developing economies. The scarce funds allocated for projects aimed at recovery diverting have a negative impact on the economic position of such countries. Fiji islands are located in the low-lying Pacific Ocean basin, thus, are highly affected by flooding (John Robin Stephen).
The first step in conducting risk assessment is identifying the hazards. As such, one needs to differentiate between a risk and a hazard to understand the situation to be assessed. A hazard is considered as a scenario that can cause harm to the community such as floods. Risk is the possibility of the harm occurring. Therefore, this necessitates having plans that can be implemented upon realization of the harm. Flood hazards in Fiji islands can be identified through analyzing data from the different meteorological stations based in the aimed geographical locations (Jongman et al., 2014). The second step of assessing the hazard is deciding who may be harmed and how they may be harmed. Floods may affect people differently based on the locations they are in during the floods. People near the shores are likely to be affected more than people in the high lands (Bubeck et al., 2012). Understanding the levels at which people may be affected may help mitigate such negative effects by urging the people to move to safer locations.
Similarly, the possibility of some assets and vital resources being destroyed can be gauged hence providing a basis of coming up with the best plan for safeguarding the property. Through identifying the hazards and deciding the population that may be affected and how, the next step should be protecting the people from the harm. If possible, the hazard can be reduced or possibly removed. The World Health Organization, WHO, is one of the organization that has been on the frontline in mitigating the effects of flooding in Fiji islands. It assists the ministry of health and offers any other assistance upon request. In addition to the ministry Health and UN, WHO is expected to join the assessment teams in case of flooding in Fiji islands where the assessment normally aims at taking care of the recovery requirements (WHO, 2017). The fourth step in risk assessment would be recording the findings which should show how and who can be harmed by the floods. A plan on eliminating the risk and hazards can be developed. There should be a frequent assessment of the report while adding on the new findings that may help mitigate the floods.
Flooding in Fiji Islands occurs mostly because of heavy rains that cannot be accommodated within the watercourses. However, the floods are not always because of heavy rainfall, but also tropics cyclones, tsunamis, and high tides (Jongman et al., 2014). In addition to property loss where even some fire cases are reported, lands slides are associated with flooding. Public health situations that arise because of flooding are evidence in the 2012 Fiji rains flooding where the government of Fiji declared a nation disaster from 23 January 2012 to 25 January 2012. Several health issues such as 19 cases of Dengue were reported in Labasa and three cases of typhoid were reported (WHO, 2017). Several health centers were damaged as a result of flooding hence making some of the residents face challenges in accessing medical care. Other issues related to flooding common in Fiji Islands are lack of water supply and unavailability of electric power. Lack of water supply leads to most of the water borne diseases and lack of electric power halts most important activities such as interfering with the communication lines.
The risk assessment method of floods in Fiji Islands should present an ideal way of dealing with the possible harms witnessed in the previous flood cases. In a national report reviewing the number of mortality cases as a result of hazards from 1990 to 2014 shows that cyclones and floods were the main cause of mortality in Fiji Islands (Preventionweb, 2017). In essence, the risk assessment should come up with a plan on how to relocate people to safer places in case of the floods. Similarly, a succinct rescue plan should be included whereby the affected people can be easily rescued. As previously stated, unavailability of electric power is one of the challenges facing the region; hence, the plan should develop an ideal way of rescuing the victims during such difficult times. With continuous improvement of the assessment plan, more details can be added on how to effectively tackle the flooding cases.
Bubeck et al. (2012) assert that use of single disciplinary approach in mitigating the flooding case can be disadvantageous in that the hazard might impact in a way that the involved organizations were not prepared thus cause severe casualties. The approach can be advantageous in that the organization can invest in one strategic way that can mitigate the hazard effectively. As such, all the resources can be allocated for this purpose hence making the strategy more effective. Use of multidisciplinary approach in mitigating the risks of the flood is the ideal way for reducing flood causalities in Fiji Islands. However, this might be too expensive for any of the involved organizations. By relating one or more branches of knowledge, the organizations can be in a position of preparing for the risks hence mitigating the negative impact of the floods to the community effectively (Covello & Merkhoher, 2013). However, this too requires more financial allocation that might not suit the economy of such a developing country.
Flooding cases have been repeatedly reported in Fiji Islands with each scenario resulting with loss of lives and damage to property. Indeed, organizations involved in the risk mitigation have not yet mastered a succinct plan that can help reduce the negative impact of flooding. As such, there is a need to revisit all the flood analysis and assessment plans and incorporate new strategies that will oversee more organized methods of tackling such hazards in the islands. Moreover, it is crucial to employ different ways in mitigating the risks such as interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary approach. However, this can only be achieved by seeking external funding since the developing economy of Fiji cannot afford some of these expensive approaches.
References
Bubeck, P., Botzen, W. J., & Aerts, J. C. (2012). A review of risk perceptions and other factors that influence flood mitigation behavior. Risk Analysis, 32(9), 1481-1495.
Covello, V. T., & Merkhoher, M. W. (2013). Risk assessment methods: approaches for assessing health and environmental risks. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media.
Jongman, B., Hochrainer-Stigler, S., Feyen, L., Aerts, J. C., Mechler, R., Botzen, W. W., … Ward, P. J. (2014). Increasing stress on disaster-risk finance due to large floods. Nature Climate Change, 4(4), 264-268.
Lees, F. (2012). Lees’ Loss prevention in the process industries: Hazard identification, assessment and control. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Preventionweb. (2017). Fiji Disaster and Risk Profile. Retrieved from http://www.preventionweb.net/countries/fji/data/
WHO. (2017). Heavy rains cause flooding in Fiji. Retrieved from http://www.wpro.who.int/emergencies_disasters/disasters/fiji_flood_25Jan2012/en/
