Floods are among the most frequent and devastating extreme events — responsible for 44% of disasters between 2000 and 2019, affecting 1.6 billion people and causing $650 billion in losses.
What makes floods particularly complex is their systemic nature:
🔹 Climate change intensifies rainfall, snowmelt, and sea-level rise
🔹 Rapid urbanisation seals land and overloads drainage
🔹 Deforestation, soil degradation, and river straightening amplify runoff
🔹 Marginalised groups remain the most exposed
Floods come in three forms — fluvial (river), pluvial (rainfall), and coastal — and each requires tailored approaches. But all demand integrated flood management that combines:
✅ Effective governance and early warning systems
✅ Technological innovation, adapted to local realities
✅ Social resilience and traditional knowledge
✅ Nature-based solutions, from mangroves to wetlands
The evidence is clear: piecemeal fixes won't suffice. Building resilience to floods requires investment in holistic, inclusive, and locally led strategies.
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