Is it possible to prepare cities for extreme floods?

Extreme weather events have become more frequent around the globe in the last few years. Most of these phenomena, driven by climate change, such as severe heatwaves and heavy precipitation, caused huge impacts on the population. 

In 2024, Brazil, United Arab Emirates and Kenya have already witnessed floods with strong consequences. According to the World Meteorological Organization, every degree of global warming is projected to cause a 7% increase in extreme daily rainfall. 

The number of disasters and their intensity has increased by a factor of five over the past 50 years. And improved early warnings and disaster management, has decreased the number of deaths almost three times. 

That is why some countries are making efforts to create systems that prevent or decrease chances of big disasters in order to reduce damages. So yes, it is possible to prepare cities for extreme floods.

Sponge cities

Urban environments are not well prepared for extreme rainfall because concrete stops water from draining away. So, one of the best things cities can do is to become more ‘porous’. 

The called ‘Sponge Cities’ are designed to imitate natural processes, allowing urban areas to absorb, store, and purify rainwater, much like a sponge soaks up water. 

For that, various green infrastructure techniques are used, such as permeable pavements, green roofs and urban wetlands, to slow down the flow of rainwater and gradually release it into rivers and streams.

China

China launched some of the largest ecological restoration projects in the world, planting billions of trees to prevent runoff into rivers and absorb more water upstream.  

In 2023, more than a million people were forced from their homes by the consequences of a storm in China’s northeastern Hebei province, according to state media.

Besides the tree-planting schemes, the government aims to increase green spaces and permeable pavement to absorb more rainwater in urban spaces prone to flooding with the so called.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is implementing various strategies to address flooding issues. These measures include investing in improved flood defenses, enhancing early warning systems, and promoting sustainable land management practices.

The government has allocated significant funds to build and maintain flood barriers, levees, and drainage systems to protect vulnerable areas. Additionally, there is a focus on restoring natural habitats, such as wetlands and riverbanks, to absorb excess water and reduce the impact of floods.

Local communities are also being encouraged to adopt flood-resilient practices, such as installing flood-proof doors and elevating electrical systems. Moreover, urban planning regulations are being revised to ensure that new developments do not exacerbate flood risks.

Netherlands

The Netherlands, with approximately one-third of its land situated below sea level, is adopting innovative approaches to live with water by constructing on it.

Rotterdam features the world’s first floating dairy farm, launched in 2019, alongside floating parks created from waste and a floating office building.

Over recent years, the concept of floating homes has been steadily gaining popularity.

In the Schoonschip neighborhood in northern Amsterdam, the architecture firm Space&Matter has developed a community of 30 floating houses. Completed in 2021, this community now houses over 100 residents.

Rio Grande do Sul devastation

This year’s torrential rain in Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) has caused the worst disaster in the history of the state. According to the state Civil Defense, 176 deaths were confirmed, until last Friday, and other 39 people are missing. 

The huge flooding was bigger than the last record in 1941, when the waters of Lake Guaíba reached 4.75 meters, flooding 15 thousand homes and leaving 70 thousand people homeless. 

Over two billion people were affected by the heavy precipitation. Amid the devastation, the question of why didn’t any preparation come. Some mechanisms were created such as big gates to contain the water, but they were not enough. 

And now the urgency the population and the events have put on the government is bigger than before. More than ever, facing climate change, there should be changes on the plans of infrastructure in the region.

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The article above was edited by Beatriz Imagure.

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• climate change
• Flood
• sponge city