Psychosocial effects of the floods. Perception and attitudes
Abstract
The study approaches the problematic of psychosocial effects of the floods, a topic with few researches in Romania, in three different areas in the country seriously affected by the floods occured in the past years. The research design includes the investigation of the inhabitants (the interview through focus groups) and local authorities (the method of the questionnaires), the data processing being realized through qualitative interpreting methods and through the statistical method - the descriptive graphic. Three main themes are proposed and developed, as follows: (i) causes of the disaster, warning systems and intervention plans; (ii) the authorities' reaction and (iii) the citizens' reaction. The results' study demonstrates significant differences of the perception and in the attitudes between the inhabitants and the local authorities, the relationships gap between them. As main causes of the floods and of the consequent losses, the inhabitants indicated the weak reaction of the authorities and the bad management of the hydrological resources while the authorities invoked the meteorological factors, thus covering up their own responsibilities. Regarding the existence and knowledge of the intervention plans in case of a disaster it is evident the formalism in the authorities' reaction and in creating and applying the intervention plans with definite roles and responsibilities. Regarding the authorities' reaction the inhabitants considers it as "slow and non-transparent" while the authorities invoked a big lack of means at the local level. The results of the third theme demonstrates that the population was often unprepared and its reaction is slow while the authorities have the tendency to "underestimate" the community and to ignore its self- organizing potential, considering that the individual reaction of the inhabitants didn't even exist and that they were all waiting for help. We consider that the communities should benefit from a serious training regarding how to face such calamities. A better communication between the authorities and the community would be ideal; it should also take into account the psycho- emotional factors manifested during such crisis situations. Among the possible solutions and approaches of the disasters, besides drawing a holistic model having as main point the "Plan to prepare the community for a disaster", we also have the option of rebuilding the community spirit and the local solidarity.
... In this light, the issue of the degree of agreement between the hazard level evaluations perceived by populations and those acquired from measurement data collected by experts is highlighted and must be addressed. Several studies have found that the amount of flood risk perceived by society differs from the level of flood risk assessed by experts (e.g., Duží1 et al., 2017;Ceobanu and Grozavu, 2009;Heijmans, 2001). In comparison to society as a whole, they are more realistic about the flood risk (Krasovskaia et al., 2001). ...
Policymakers concerned with coastal management issues have recently focused their efforts on how people perceive flood risk. Understanding the public's perception of risk has become an essential component of contemporary flood risk management, as it provides a basis for designing practical and effective flood mitigation strategies. This study was conducted in Anlo Beach, one of the most vulnerable coastal communities in Ghana. It investigated household perceptions of flood risk and examined them against independent physical measures that assess exposure. In parallel, multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify and establish the key factors influencing household perceptions of flood risk in the study area. The results showed that two variables, previous flood experience (data collected through the social survey) and factual exposure (assessed through GIS measurements), played an important role in determining the level of flood risk reported by households. In particular, the relationship between previous flooding experience and perceived level of coastal flood risk was both positive and statistically significant. Socio-demographic factors did not have a significant influence on risk reporting. We conclude that perception variables collected through social surveys can be used as proxy indicators of environmental risks when physical measures are not available. Biases based on the socio-economic status of respondents may exist, but they do not outweigh information derived from people's factual relationships with the environment. Further studies on the above factors would support flood risk reduction measures in the study area and West Africa, particularly in light of climate change.
... Furthermore, research has demonstrated that the amount of flood risk considered by society frequently varies from the level indicated by specialists (Ceobanu and Grozavu 2009). While expert-based risk analysis tends to be specific, the public perceives flood risk more realistically (Abdullahi et al. 2016). ...
The paper assessed flood risk profiles and coping strategies based on local people's perceptions and experiences in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, a historically known area for its perennial flooding. The study surveyed 300 households across eight communities using questionnaires. We performed a descriptive analysis of res-idents' past experiences, causes, effects, destruction from floods and coping mechanisms. The results show that flooding in the study area is perennial, primarily attributed to low elevation, torrential rainfall and the absence or clogging of drainage systems. Local coping strategies identified include digging trenches around houses before and during floods, constructing temporary barriers, and using rocks, sandbags and concrete to divert floodwaters away from homes. Some move to parts of their dwelling with higher elevation, while others temporarily live with family and friends. We recommend proactive and local-based emergency response and education systems to reduce flood impact and promote sustainable adaptation.
... Yet this role seems to be a complicated one; Handmer [81], for instance, shows how local governments struggle with the task to borne and reconcile the policies and guidelines developed by (supra)national or state governments with other numerous issues competing for their attention (for example, the tensions between flood risk management and economic development). Moreover, the perceptions, intentions, or interests of the G&A may differ a lot from those of lay public [82,83]; people often fail to differentiate individual levels of decision-making [60]; and they usually continue to perceive FRM as a state responsibility in general [2,56], including not only the provision of protection and recovery measures, but also the imposition of particular restrictions, which, however, people (but also the G&A themselves) in turn often tend to dispute or violate [6,44,45,47,77,[84][85][86][87]. Furthermore, there are concerns about who is, actually, included in (or excluded from) decision-making processes, and about transfers of responsibility (to individuals, households, communities) without corresponding transfers of power or resources [18,21,71,73,80,[88][89][90][91]. ...
Based on the literature review, this paper synthesizes recent state of knowledge on flood risk perception and related human behaviors. The main attention is paid to private precautionary and mitigation measures, and the reasons why these are (not) adopted by agents such as individual households. Results of a wide range of relevant studies are presented and critically examined. The findings are presented within an interpretive framework established during the review process; six key themes (responsibility, risk perception, people and social environment, geography of risk, emotions, theories and conceptual models) and several sub-themes closely related to them were identified by the content/thematic analysis. These were then utilized to overview and discuss particular factors and issues involved, as well as various relevant theoretical underpinnings and conceptual models. The review identifies, illustrates, and addresses not only the consensual views and contradictory findings of flood risk research, but also several related and essential ambiguities, uncertainties, and knowledge gaps. Based on these findings, suggestions for future research are discussed, including the terminological, semantic, methodological, theoretical, and ethical aspects. The paper thus serves two main tasks: (a) It is a useful reference/departure point for those with research interests in topics and issues such as flood risk perception, flood risk protective and mitigation behaviors and measures, or flood risk management in general; and (b) it provides suggestions and incentives for future flood risk research agenda.
... In fact, perception (the level of a flood risk perceived by the society) often does not coincide with the flood risk level determined by the experts (see Duží et al. 2014;Działek et al. 2013b;Ceobanu and Grozavu 2009;Heijmans 2001). They tend to perceive flood risk more realistically than the whole of society (Krasovskaia et al. 2001). ...
While the methods of risk analysis are generally based on objective measurements, the subjective assessment of risk, such as risk perception, is currently considered a crucial aspect in the context of flood risk management. Risk perception is regarded as an assessment of the perceived probability of hazard and the perceived probability of the results (most often—negative consequences). The work attempts to answer the question: What determines flood risk perception? The knowledge of the factors influencing flood risk perception can solve the issue of the society’s underestimation of flood risk. This issue was considered both in terms of the impact of particular factors on flood risk perception and the interrelationship between three characteristics of flood risk perception: preparedness, worry and awareness. The results were developed based on critical analysis of the empirical research. The review shows that the way particular characteristics determine flood risk perception is not clear and many authors show the diverse conclusions from the similar research. Taking into account various research results, the following factors were distinguished: primary (which clearly influence risk perception), secondary (which influence it unclearly and require further research) and intervening (often describing the context). The organization of the results of the research on the flood risk assessment conducted herein aims to improve the understanding of the human perception of flood risk and, as a result, will lead to the decrease in flood risk by improving the communication of the issue and motivating the residents of the endangered areas to take actions that reduce the negative effects of floods.
... Natural resource management should be implemented with the involvement of all stakeholders while minimizing conflicts, (Hersperger et al., 2015;Hossu et al., 2018). The difference in perception of the environment by society and authority is visible in the extremely different understanding of flooding (Ceobanu & Grozavu, 2009). Nowadays, all investments affecting the natural environment are analysed in order to limit their negative impact. ...
The impact of watermills on transformations in the hydrographic network in the highlands has not yet been examined. However, these issues were discussed in depth in regard to lowland areas where milling constituted an important part of the economy. Our studies prove that it was watermills that significantly affected the transformation of the hydrographic network in the Carpathian Foothills. The aim of our studies was to determine the impact of the structure, functioning, and closing of watermills on the hydrographic network in Wadowice and the surrounding area (west Carpathian Foothills, Lesser Poland Province, Poland). The studies were conducted based on archived topographic maps and historical sources. The development of milling in Wadowice that started in the 15 th century had led to the increased density and transformation of the river network due to about 6.8 kilometres of mill race. Despite nearly all the mill races being closed down in the 20 th century, they left a lasting mark in the altered river network. At present, fragments of former man-made beds constitute part of a drainage network, whereas the course of two tributaries of the Skawa does not correspond to this day to the morphology of the bottom of the Skawa valley. Despite not having any significant role in the economy throughout history, water milling in the Carpathian Foothills has left a lasting mark in the river network.
... Research on the vulnerability of communities is, for the moment, limited (Stângă and Grozavu, 2012) and the results are rather heterogeneous. Lately, there are studies that approach the problem of perceiving natural hazards, especially of floods risk (Ceobanu and Grozavu, 2009), and also the problem of landslides susceptibility (Armaş, 2011;Bălteanu et al., 2010;Grozavu et al., 2012;Micu and Bălteanu, 2009). ...
The recrudescence and diversification of natural and anthropic hazards over the past decades are mainly attributed to an increase in the vulnerability of human communities. Understanding this vulnerability, as central predictive variable within the risk equation, proves to be a highly useful tool in land planning, namely in the development of various strategies. The current paper aims at proposing and integrating certain indicators into the methodology used in the evaluation of exposure to both slope and riverbed geomorphologic processes, and hydrologic processes, as: (i) distance from landslides; (ii) distance from riverbanks; (iii) water level growth in case of floods; (iv) service capacity of roads. The use of GIS analysis tool and application of multi-criteria analysis such as Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) allow both to evidence the exposure degree to the above listed processes and the assessment of factors weight in the vulnerability degree of region.
... Research on the vulnerability of communities is, for the moment, limited (Stângă and Grozavu, 2012) and the results are rather heterogeneous. Lately, there are studies that approach the problem of perceiving natural hazards, especially of floods risk ( Ceobanu and Grozavu, 2009), and also the problem of landslides susceptibility (Armaş, 2011;Bălteanu et al., 2010;Grozavu et al., 2012;Micu and Bălteanu, 2009). ...
The recrudescence and diversification of natural and anthropic hazards over the past decades are mainly attributed to an increase in the vulnerability of human communities. Understanding this vulnerability, as central predictive variable within the risk equation, proves to be a highly useful tool in land planning, namely in the development of various strategies. The current paper aims at proposing and integrating certain indicators into the methodology used in the evaluation of exposure to both slope and riverbed geomorphologic processes, and hydrologic processes, as: (i) distance from landslides; (ii) distance from riverbanks; (iii) water level growth in case of floods; (iv) service capacity of roads. The use of GIS analysis tool and application of multi-criteria analysis such as Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) allow both to evidence the exposure degree to the above listed processes and the assessment of factors weight in the vulnerability degree of region.
... Floods also have a high consequence on human life, the population is usually unprepared for flood features and its reaction is slow, with no organized activity. The authorities haven't supported in reaction by the local population during the floods (Ceobanu & Grozavu, 2009). In the River Vardar water regime annual maximum water levels/water discharge were occurred in November in the autumn, while spring flood features were detected in May and June, differently from the Romanian rivers, which are frequently detected in spring (Romanescu et al., 2011).The high stage in spring period is a result of combination of snowmelt process from the highest basin mountains (Shar Mountain, Jakupica, Baba and Osogovo Mountain) and heavy rain in May, and the highest stage in autumn is result of the heavy and intensive rain features. ...
Floodplain analysis is usually used in hydrology for calculating the possibility of high water stage features. Floods are treated like a human problem. In the concrete case was taken maximum annual stage data for a period of 34 hydrologic years (1971/72-2004/05) for Gauge station " Demir Kapija " on River Vardar and Boshava. The analysis is created using some probability distributions like Normal, Pearson distribution type III, Gumbel distribution, Log-Pearson distribution type III and Lognormal distribution. Calculated results from the water stage frequency analysis are treated with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and χ 2 test for obtaining best fitting distribution with empirical Weibull formula. The frequency distributions results were plotted on probability paper and compared with empirical Weibull points besides the statistical testing. The best fitting distribution is Lognormal. Maximum theoretical stages of best fitting distribution for different return periods were mapped on the rivers Vardar and Boshava banks in Tikvesh Valley. The map presents all flooded areas in treating territory for different return periods.
Floods are the most frequent and devastating disasters in Bangladesh. The riverine islands, known as char-lands, are particularly vulnerable to flooding. As flooding poses a significant threat to the lives and livelihoods of residents, especially farmers, it is crucial to understand how they perceive flood risk and assess their adaptation strategies in this geographically susceptible context. However, the existing literature has not adequately addressed these issues. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the factors influencing farmers’ perceptions of flood risk and their assessments of flood adaptation. In a survey of 359 farmers in Bangladesh’s char-land region, located in the Chauhali sub-district (Upazila) of Sirajganj district, we used the protection motivation theory (PMT) to measure farmers’ perceived flood risk and adaptation assessments. Multiple regression analysis was employed to identify factors influencing them. Farmers prioritized the risk to livelihoods (production and income) over psychological aspects (health and diseases). Larger farms, more flood experience, and greater risk awareness are associated with higher overall flood risk perception and better flood adaptation, indicating higher self-efficacy, response efficacy, and response cost among farmers. Farmers perceived lower flood risk in exchange for greater house distance from the river and more trust in government actions. Hence, strengthening campaigns and programs is crucial to understanding flood risk in char-lands for improved adaptation to floods. The study highlights the application of PMT to assess farmers’ perceptions of flood risk and their attitudes towards adaptation, suggesting further research opportunities.
In Romania, local stakeholders' knowledge plays a role in making decisions for emergencies, supporting rescue officers in natural hazard events, coordinating, and assisting the affected populations physically and psychologically. However, despite the increasing occurrence and severity of natural hazards in the Iași metropolitan area (of north-eastern Romania), there is a lack of knowledge of local stakeholders on how to encourage the population regarding safety actions. For this reason, we interviewed 118 local stakeholders to determine their risk awareness and preparedness capacities over a set of natural hazards, in order to understand where deficiencies in knowledge, action, and trust are greatest. Results reveal substantial distinctions between different threats and among stakeholders based on their cognitive and behavioural roles in the communities. The roles of responsibility and trust are important driving factors shaping their perception and preparedness. Preparedness levels are low, and, for many, learning and preparatory actions are needed to build resilience to the negative occurrences of natural hazards. As the stakeholders' role is to direct interventions in affected areas by managing communication initiatives with the entire population of the community, there is a need to create stakeholders' networks, empowering local actors and serving as a bridge between authorities' decisions and local people, making effective risk management plans, and securing more lives and economies.
The Maramures Mountains are situated in the North of Eastern Carpathians, at the border between Romania and Ukraine. Our researches were concerned with analyzing the bed material size and shape for Ruscova and Vaser rivers, front this mountain unit, and with the identification of the factors which influences these characteristics. Samples was taken from 5 sites for each river, using the Wolman (1954) (pebble counts) method, for surface particle sampling from gravel and cobble bed streams. Sorting and abrasion of particles has little influences in variations of median grain diameter D(50) (mm) along rivers. A more important role has the amount of high resistant rocks (metamorphic and volcanic rocks) to the transport in fluvial regime, in part of hydrographic basins situated between the sample sites.
A model of risk assessment was proposed as a debating tool in the interdisciplinary dialogue with wider society. The incorporation of subjective perceptual values into appropriate stage of the risk management process was the basis of the model. The risk epistemology moved away from the suppressive nature of the rationalist and objective paradigm by incorporating relevant social values and issues into the risk model. The assessment of risk that reflected the values of holistic society, led to the breaking of the two way opposition and distrust that existed between the public and risk experts.
The authors present certain hydrological data of the Romanian Danube and then give the history of the banking, one of the most important state works of the modern Romania. The dams built between 1910-1978, though resisting many floods with minimal damages were brusted during the flood of 2006, inundating 80,000 ha, i.e. 17% of the banked precints. The authors analyse the natural and the man-made causes of burstings emphasizing the lack of the maintainance of the dams being the main cause of their actual state. The optimal measures for the protection of the floodable lands should be neither destroying the banking system, nor to reverting to altenative land use schemes for agriculture and for pisciculture, but restoring and operating the dam system by a responsible agency adequately organised, moreover establishing floodable precints (on the site of former lakes and marsh lands) for the attenuation of the flood wave.
The following values have no corresponding Zotero field:
ID - 45
The goal of our research was to conduct a systematic study of ground water nitrate pollution in the Niraj (Nyárád) River Basin, to evaluate this contamination, and it's causes. Samples of water were obtained from individual water sources (wells) from villages and from surface water sources. In the individual water sources the concentration of nitrate has increased significantly over time, exceeding in many cases the maximum contaminant level, indicating a potential health risk to nearby residents. The relationship between the potential pollution sources and groundwater nitrate pollution was analyzed in function of the agricultural practices, the nature of the pollution sources (punctual and diffuse pollution sources), the geographical conditions, hydrological conditions, and rainfall regime. During our research we linked the diffuse and punctual pollution sources with the spatial distribution of nitrate pollution of groundwater. According to our research the main cause of pollution of the groundwater with nitrate is the type of agricultural practices employed, especially small scale farming with animals and bad management of the manure/waste and the untreated household's wastewater. In the Niraj catchment area, in 43% of the sampled wells, the nitrate pollution exceeds 50 mg/l. The results differ in different parts of the catchment area, in the upper part (over 350 m a.s.l.) the proportion of the sampled wells (where the concentration of the nitrate is higher than 50 mg/l) is 26%, and in the lower part (under 350 m a.s.l.) the percentage of the sampled wells where the concentration of the nitrate is higher than 50 mg/l is 64%. These differences are probably caused by the soil properties and topography. According to our results, on the terraces and downstream the localities, there exists a concentration of nitrate pollution. The nitrate pollution of the groundwater depends also on the rainfall regime.
Hydrogeological numerical simulation was performed to evaluate the migration of a contaminant plume at a decommissioned tar manufacturing plant, situated in the floodplain of the Main River, Manitoba. The finite element computer software FEFLOW was used to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport. The current mass distribution of the contaminant plume is a result of the historical spills of chemical compounds during the manufacturing process or leaching from the fill materials situated below the former plant and on the riverbank. Based on the characterization and delineation of the impacted groundwater, further simulation was performed to assess the impact of several remedial strategies. Numerical case studies were conducted for each remedial strategy, from which conclusions were drawn regarding the most suitable scenario for the clean-up of the Site. Based on the modeling results, there are currently no chemical compounds at the Site which will result in a future exceedance of the compliance criteria at the Main River boundary if half of the waste fill is removed and backfilled with clean material, while the remaining impacted area is entirely covered at the surface with a low permeability material.
To determine the range and severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms exhibited by children after exposure to a natural disaster.
Three months after Hurricane Hugo struck Berkeley County, South Carolina, 5,687 school-aged children were surveyed about their experiences and reactions related to the storm. Self-reports of PTSD symptoms were obtained by use of a PTSD Reaction Index.
Significant variation in the prevalence of PTSD symptoms was found across race, gender, and age groups. Self-reported symptoms were used to derive a post-traumatic stress syndrome classification according to DSM-III-R guidelines for the diagnosis of PTSD. More than 5% of the sample reported sufficient symptoms to be classified as exhibiting this post-traumatic stress syndrome. Females and younger children were more likely to receive this classification. At the symptom level, females reported more symptoms associated with emotional processing and emotional reaction to the trauma. Males were more likely to report symptoms related to cognitive and behavioral factors. Younger children were more likely to report symptoms overall.
Children exposed to a high magnitude natural disaster report sufficient symptoms to establish a DSM-III-R derived classification of a PTSD syndrome. Differences between gender, age, and race groups appear to be related to differential risk of exposure, reporting biases, as well as a differential risk for developing post-traumatic symptoms.
Relationships between self-reported psychological distress (Symptom Checklist) and experience with two earthquakes are presented for a group of male factor workers (N = 772) from Naples, Italy, participating in the 1987 follow-up of the Olivetti Heart Study. Although all were exposed to the 1980 earthquake that racked southern Italy, only men residing in the Naples suburb of Pozzuoli experienced the continuing swarm of earthquakes ("bradyseism") of 1983-1984, allowing for the observation of a "natural experiment" of sorts. Levels of psychological distress were found to be higher 7 years after the first earthquake for those men who reported damage from that earthquake. Overall, findings were similar for those who were evacuated, or suffered financial loss from the 1983-1984 bradyseism earthquakes. Stratification by 1980 earthquake damage revealed that 1983-1984 evacuation or financial loss was associated with increased distress reporting only for those men who had not reported damage from the 1980 earthquake. Overall, however, distress scores tended to be higher for men evacuated in 1983-1984 if they had also reported damage from the prior earthquake (only the F ratio for anxiety reached criterion for statistical significance). These findings suggest that the psychological consequences of earthquake exposure are long lasting and seem to be related to the consequences of the earthquake in terms of damage/loss.
Managementul riscului de dezastru Ghid de lucru pentru ONG-urile de mediu în prevenirea dezastrelor, Asociaţia ALMA-RO, Bucureşti, p. 53 Hazardele naturale şi dezvoltarea durabilă, Revista geografică
- A Bădilă
- D Rbălteanu
Bădilă, A. (editor), 2007, Managementul riscului de dezastru. Ghid de lucru pentru ONG-urile de mediu în prevenirea dezastrelor, Asociaţia ALMA-RO, Bucureşti, p. 53. 36 rBălteanu, D., 2004, Hazardele naturale şi dezvoltarea durabilă, Revista geografică, X/2003, Serie nouă, Inst. Geogr., Academia Română, Bucureşti, pp. 3 - 6