Building-Back-Better in Post-Disaster Recovery: Lessons Learnt from Cyclone Idai-Induced Floods in Zimbabwe

This study evaluated the build-back-better considerations in post-disaster recovery, following the devastation of Chipinge and Chimanimani communities by Cyclone Idai-induced floods in 2019. Conducted in 2020, the study assessed the impact of Cyclone Idai-induced floods on communities in Chipinge and Chimanimani Districts of Zimbabwe; evaluated the build-back-better considerations; and analyzed the lessons learned. Based on a qualitative approach and case study design, the study depended on focus group discussions, interviews, and researcher observations to gather data from 85 participants. The findings indicate that Cyclone Idai-induced floods seriously impacted human lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods of communities that had been living with flood risk and vulnerability. Build-back-better considerations were absent in much of the post-disaster recovery effort to address the cyclone disaster impact. There are important early lessons for both practitioners and community members to learn from the Cyclone Idai event. These lessons still can inform policy and disaster risk reduction practice in the medium and long term. Build-back-better should be a mandatory objective in the recovery from any disaster impact. Continuous training is also recommended to improve the disaster knowledge of stakeholders and increase local ability to cope with future disaster events.

Estimation of Flood Discharge in Complex Basins and Assessment of Downstream Conveyance in Development Areas

The rainfall-runoff characteristics of urban and rural areas differ. Hence, major domestic design standards recommend using the rural basin rainfall-runoff models (the unit hydrograph method) for rural areas and the urban rainfall-runoff models (time-area method) for urban areas when estimating the amount of floods. Further, the guidelines for consultations on disaster impact assessment in Korea describe the selection of rainfall-runoff models according to basin types such as urban and rural areas. However, in complex watersheds where rural and urban basins coexist, the type of rainfall-runoff model is selected based on the modeler’s (or business operator’s) experiences rather than model selection guidelines. This study aims to analyze the impacts of uncertain design standards on disaster impact assessment in Korea. To this end, the parameters for each model (the unit hydrograph method, time-area method) were optimized using the measured datasets. The accuracy of the models was evaluated, as well as the appropriateness of flood reduction measures based on whether there was an assessment of downstream conveyance in development areas. The results of this study are expected to contribute to improving the reliability of the evaluation of flood reduction measures by assessing the accuracy of results in hydrological modeling and supplementing the uncertain flood estimation guidelines.

Measuring Natural Hazard-Related Disasters through Self-Reports

Exposure to multiple natural hazard-related disasters will become more common due to climate change. This article reports on the development and validation of a cumulative measure of exposure to natural hazard-related disasters (2013–2017) at the area level, and an individual-level measure of disaster impact using data from the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child and linked data from the International Disaster Database (EM-DAT). Caregiver reports of cumulative exposure to disasters had statistically significant associations with disasters reported by neighborhood officials and with disasters in EM-DAT. Using ecometric techniques we generated a reliable community average measure of exposure to natural hazard-related disasters. Based on neighbor but not individual self-reports this exogenous measure of disaster exposure in the local area was more strongly related to EM-DAT and official neighborhood reports than individual reports. To capture household variation we developed an individual-level measure of disaster impacts. Disaster impact was associated with measures of exposure (individual and community average), community ratings by officials, and EM-DAT but only moderately associated with the community average exposure. Both the community average and disaster impacts measures were associated with household income and the adequacy of income in households.