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Flooded cities

Author

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  • Kocornik-Mina, Adriana
  • McDermott, Thomas K.J.
  • Michaels, Guy
  • Rauch, Ferdinand

Abstract

Does economic activity move away from areas that are at high risk of recurring shocks? We examine this question in the context of floods, which displaced more than 650 million people worldwide in the last 35 years. We study large urban floods using spatially detailed inundation maps and night lights data spanning the globe's cities. We find that low-elevation urban areas are flooded more frequently, and yet they concentrate more economic activity per square kilometer. When cities are flooded, low-elevation areas recover as rapidly as those higher up. With the exception of recently populated urban areas, we find little permanent movement of economic activity in response to floods.

Suggested Citation

  • Kocornik-Mina, Adriana & McDermott, Thomas K.J. & Michaels, Guy & Rauch, Ferdinand, 2020. "Flooded cities," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 100031, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:100031
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Urbanization; Flooding; Climate change; Urban recovery;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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