Abstract
The level of sustainability of a modern society is associated with the ability to manage unwanted stressors from the environment, regardless of origin. Torrential floods represent a hydrological hazard whose frequency and intensity have increased in recent years, mainly due to climate changes. In order to effectively manage the risks of torrents, it is necessary to apply early warning systems, since torrential floods are formed very quickly, especially on the watercourses of a small catchment area. The early warning system is part of a comprehensive torrential flood risk management system, seen as a technical entity for the collection, transformation, and rapid distribution of data. Modern early warning systems are the successors of rudimentary methods used in the past, and they are based on ICT and mobile applications developed in relation to the requirements of end users. The chapter presents an analysis of characteristic examples of the use. The main conclusion of the chapter indicates the need to implement early warning systems in national emergency management structures.
TopIntroduction
Observed through different historical periods, catastrophes and different emergencies have always followed and marked different time-spans in the development of humanity (Stanković, 2019). Such events are an integral part of the human past, present but also future. For centuries, natural and man-made disasters have caused fear and suffering to affected populations and destroyed natural and material goods (Knežević et al., 2018). Investing in disaster prevention can significantly reduce loss of life and human tragedy. In addition to the humanitarian influence realized by investing in prevention, which is rarely recorded in economic analyzes, such investment can also bring significant economic benefits and cost savings to states that would otherwise be burdened by increased post-disaster spending (Ristić, 2014). Global costs caused by disasters are on the rise (Janaćković, 2018). However, most of the international aid is currently consumed to answer to disaster and recovery instead of reducing future risks, which is quite an unsustainable condition. In the context of modern approaches to risk management from various disasters, priority is given to various measures of risk prevention and mitigation (Ristić, 2019). Creating a resilient disaster management system largely depends on the preparatory phase, as well as on learning from previous experience. The resilient disaster management system must be designed so that, in addition to efficient communication between the competent services, it enables a smooth, fast, but also timely flow of relevant information (Vasović, 2018a, b). In that sense, an indispensable part of any modern disaster management system is the early warning system, which has a dual role: timely informing the competent services, but also the average member of the affected population. No less important is the fact that modern early warning systems are a kind of database of actions and activities taken during and after a particular emergency, allowing later data analysis and stimulating build back better processes. In that sense, this chapter is stewarded to early warning systems description and explanation of its role in torrential flood monitoring and management processes. The key objectives of this chapter are a narrative description of early warning systems structure, financial issues related to the torrential flood management and practical experiences with such systems in Bosnia & Hercegovina and the Republic of Serbia.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Mitigation: The lessening or minimizing of the adverse impacts of a hazardous event.
Landslides/Mudslides: Downhill sliding or falling movement of cry soil and rock. Landslides are difficult to estimate as an independent phenomenon. It seems appropriate, therefore, to associate landslides with other hazards such as tropical cyclones, severe local storms and torrential floods. The term landslide is used in its broad sense to include downward and outward movement of slope forming materials (natural rock and soil). It is caused by heavy rain, soil erosion and earth tremors and may also happen in areas under heavy snow.
Prevention: Activities and measures to avoid existing and new disaster risks.
Disaster Management: The organization, planning and application of measures preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters.
Management: Process of planning, decision making, organizing, leading, motivation and controlling the human resources, financial, physical, and information resources of an organization to reach its goals efficiently and effectively.
Flood Control: Methods that are used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters.
Early Warning System: An integrated system of hazard monitoring, forecasting and prediction, disaster risk assessment, communication and preparedness activities systems and processes that enables individuals, communities, governments, businesses and others to take timely action to reduce disaster risks in advance of hazardous events.
Safety: Concept that includes all measures and practices taken to preserve the life, health, and bodily integrity of individuals.
Flood: An overflow of water onto normally dry land. The inundation of a normally dry area caused by rising water in an existing waterway, such as a river, stream, or drainage ditch. Ponding of water at or near the point where the rain fell. Flooding is a longer event than flash flooding: it may last days or weeks.
Affected Population: People who are affected, either directly or indirectly, by a hazardous event. Directly affected are those who have suffered an injury, illness or other health effects; who were evacuated, displaced, relocated or have suffered direct damage to their livelihoods, economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets. Indirectly affected are people who have suffered consequences, other than or in addition to direct effects, over time, due to disruption or changes in the economy, critical infrastructure, basic services, commerce or work, or social, health and psychological consequences.
Hazardous Event: The manifestation of a hazard in a particular place during a particular period of time.
System: Group of interacting or interrelated elements that act according to a set of rules to form a unified whole.
Torrential Flood: A flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours. Torrential floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains that rip through river beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons sweeping everything before them. They can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive rainfall. They can also occur even if no rain has fallen, for instance, after a levee or dam has failed or after a sudden release of water by a debris or ice jam. It lasts for a shorter time period than a pluvial flood. Because of their rapid nature, torrential floods are difficult to forecast and give people little time to escape or to take food and other essentials with them.
Flood Relief: Methods that are used to reduce the effects of flood waters or high water levels.
Hazard: A process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation.