IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/nathaz/v84y2016i2d10.1007_s11069-016-2458-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reconstruction of a flash flood event through a multi-hazard approach: focus on the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda

Author

Listed:
  • Liesbet Jacobs

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    Royal Museum for Central Africa)

  • Jan Maes

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel
    KU Leuven)

  • Kewan Mertens

    (KU Leuven)

  • John Sekajugo

    (Busitema University)

  • Wim Thiery

    (ETH Zürich)

  • Nicole van Lipzig

    (KU Leuven)

  • Jean Poesen

    (KU Leuven)

  • Matthieu Kervyn

    (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)

  • Olivier Dewitte

    (Royal Museum for Central Africa)

Abstract

The increased use of complex and holistic modelling for multi-hazard analysis is in sharp contrast with a lacuna in hazard analysis in equatorial Africa. This study aims to increase understanding of multi-hazard events in poorly documented regions with low accessibility. We focus on the Nyamwamba catchment (107 km2) located in the Rwenzori Mountains (Uganda) where on May 1, 2013, a severe flash flood occurred. In this region, wildfires, earthquakes and landslides occur as well. Here we reconstruct the circumstances under which this flash flood event was triggered, characterize the different processes acting upon the catchment dynamics and estimate the damaging effects of the flash flood within the catchment. The combined occurrence of intense rainfall, a forest fire having burned 18 % of the catchment area and the occurrence of 29 landslides providing debris to the river system, induced a debris-rich and very destructive flash flood which caused several fatalities, the destruction of 70 buildings, several bridges, a hospital, a school, a tarmac road and several lifelines. Although the methodologies applied to estimate peak discharge, detect landslides and delineate wildfires are well established in their disciplines and sometimes limited in their precision, their combination is required to demonstrate the importance of the wildfire and landslides for the magnitude of this flood, unprecedented in decades but characterized by a low return period of the triggering rainfall event. This indicates that flash floods should not be considered as self-determined phenomena but as a result of several cascading and interacting hazard processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Liesbet Jacobs & Jan Maes & Kewan Mertens & John Sekajugo & Wim Thiery & Nicole van Lipzig & Jean Poesen & Matthieu Kervyn & Olivier Dewitte, 2016. "Reconstruction of a flash flood event through a multi-hazard approach: focus on the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 84(2), pages 851-876, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:84:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11069-016-2458-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-016-2458-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-016-2458-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11069-016-2458-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Melanie Kappes & Margreth Keiler & Kirsten Elverfeldt & Thomas Glade, 2012. "Challenges of analyzing multi-hazard risk: a review," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 64(2), pages 1925-1958, November.
    2. B. Mazzorana & F. Comiti & S. Fuchs, 2013. "A structured approach to enhance flood hazard assessment in mountain streams," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 67(3), pages 991-1009, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jonas Ardö, 2021. "A Sentinel-2 Dataset for Uganda," Data, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Mertens, Kewan & Jacobs, Liesbet & Maes, Jan & Poesen, Jean & Kervyn, Matthieu & Vranken, Liesbet, 2017. "Disaster risk reduction among households exposed to landslide hazard: a crucial role for coping appraisal?," Working Papers 265433, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
    3. Mertens, K. & Jacobs, L. & Maes, J. & Poesen, J. & Kervyn, M. & Vranken, L., 2018. "Disaster risk reduction among households exposed to landslide hazard: A crucial role for self-efficacy?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 77-91.
    4. Martin Kabenge & Joshua Elaru & Hongtao Wang & Fengting Li, 2017. "Characterizing flood hazard risk in data-scarce areas, using a remote sensing and GIS-based flood hazard index," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 89(3), pages 1369-1387, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mohamed Marwan Al Heib & Christian Franck & Hippolyte Djizanne & Marie Degas, 2023. "Post-Mining Multi-Hazard Assessment for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Chaofeng Shao & Juan Yang & Xiaogang Tian & Meiting Ju & Lei Huang, 2013. "Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment and Whole-Process Management System in Chemical Industry Parks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-22, April.
    3. Hector Diaz & Bruno Mazzorana & Bernhard Gems & Ivan Rojas & Nicole Santibañez & Pablo Iribarren & Mario Pino & Andrés Iroumé, 2022. "What do biphasic flow experiments reveal on the variability of exposure on alluvial fans and which implications for risk assessment result from this?," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 111(3), pages 3099-3120, April.
    4. Dylan Sanderson & Sabarethinam Kameshwar & Nathanael Rosenheim & Daniel Cox, 2021. "Deaggregation of multi-hazard damages, losses, risks, and connectivity: an application to the joint seismic-tsunami hazard at Seaside, Oregon," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 109(2), pages 1821-1847, November.
    5. Caridad Ballesteros & José A. Jiménez & Christophe Viavattene, 2018. "A multi-component flood risk assessment in the Maresme coast (NW Mediterranean)," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 90(1), pages 265-292, January.
    6. Qiao, Wanguan, 2021. "Analysis and measurement of multifactor risk in underground coal mine accidents based on coupling theory," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    7. Christopher T. Emrich & Yao Zhou & Sanam K. Aksha & Herbert E. Longenecker, 2022. "Creating a Nationwide Composite Hazard Index Using Empirically Based Threat Assessment Approaches Applied to Open Geospatial Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-25, February.
    8. Insang Yu & Kiyong Park & Eui Hoon Lee, 2021. "Flood Risk Analysis by Building Use in Urban Planning for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-16, November.
    9. Nikole Guerrero & Marta Contreras & Alondra Chamorro & Carolina Martínez & Tomás Echaveguren, 2023. "Social vulnerability in Chile: challenges for multi-scale analysis and disaster risk reduction," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 117(3), pages 3067-3102, July.
    10. Jiajun Wang & Zhichao He & Wenguo Weng, 2020. "A review of the research into the relations between hazards in multi-hazard risk analysis," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 104(3), pages 2003-2026, December.
    11. Valentina Gallina & Silvia Torresan & Alex Zabeo & Andrea Critto & Thomas Glade & Antonio Marcomini, 2020. "A Multi-Risk Methodology for the Assessment of Climate Change Impacts in Coastal Zones," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-28, May.
    12. Feiyue Wang & Ziling Xie & Hui Liu & Zhongwei Pei & Dingli Liu, 2022. "Multiobjective Emergency Resource Allocation under the Natural Disaster Chain with Path Planning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.
    13. Christoph Aubrecht & Sven Fuchs & Clemens Neuhold, 2013. "Spatio-temporal aspects and dimensions in integrated disaster risk management," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 68(3), pages 1205-1216, September.
    14. Raoof Mostafazadeh & Amir Sadoddin & Abdolreza Bahremand & Vahed Berdi Sheikh & Arash Zare Garizi, 2017. "Scenario analysis of flood control structures using a multi-criteria decision-making technique in Northeast Iran," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 87(3), pages 1827-1846, July.
    15. Ramona ȚIGĂNAȘU & Alina NICUȚĂ, 2022. "Shocks, hazard risk management and resilience from an institutional outlook: what lessons for a (smart) city?," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 13(4), pages 329-346, January.
    16. Casey Zuzak & Matthew Mowrer & Emily Goodenough & Jordan Burns & Nicholas Ranalli & Jesse Rozelle, 2022. "The national risk index: establishing a nationwide baseline for natural hazard risk in the US," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 114(2), pages 2331-2355, November.
    17. Johanna Ludvigsen & Ronny Klæboe, 2014. "Extreme weather impacts on freight railways in Europe," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 70(1), pages 767-787, January.
    18. Saurabh Prabhu & Mohammad Javanbarg & Marc Lehmann & Sez Atamturktur, 2019. "Multi-peril risk assessment for business downtime of industrial facilities," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 97(3), pages 1327-1356, July.
    19. Zhao, Yunmeng & Na, Mula & Guo, Ying & Liu, Xingping & Tong, Zhijun & Zhang, Jiquan & Zhao, Chunli, 2023. "Dynamic vulnerability assessment of maize under low temperature and drought concurrent stress in Songliao Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    20. Changhong Zhou & Mu Chen & Jiangtao Chen & Yu Chen & Wenwu Chen, 2024. "A Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment Model for a Road Network Based on Neural Networks and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-16, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:84:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11069-016-2458-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.