FLOODSA LOOK ON THIS NATURAL PHENOMENA

IN JAMAICA

By: Romario RickettsDate: October 13, 2014Country: Jamaica

What is a flood?

According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary a flood refers to: “an overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land.”

DEFINITION

The Jamaican people are no strangers to Flooding:

1940 – November (125 died; 2000 left homeless) 1979 – the acclaimed “JUNE FLOOD” or New Market

Flood 1988 – Hurricane Gilbert – massive damages

islandwide 2004 – Hurricane Ivan – destroyed homes, crops and

livestock 2012 – Port Maria town was submerged by water 2014 – January – flooding damages estimated at $125

million

History

BUT HOW ARE FLOODS FORMED

FLOODS occurs in several ways and is determined by the geography of the area. As such, there are four types of floods that affects Jamaica according to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management ODPEM.

These are: Flash Floods Riverine Floods Tidal Flood Ponding

FLASH FLOODS1. Water falls onto

waterlogged ground2. Rainfall cannot soak in

underground reservoir so it runs off in rivers and streams

3. Rivers and streams overflow their banks and flood surrounding areas.

RIVERINE FLOODS1. Overwhelming amount of

rain falls into river2. River becomes

incapacitated (filled)3. River overflows its banks

and flood surrounding areas

TIDAL FLOOD1. Hurricane, tropical storms,

earthquakes and strong winds actions causes disturbances in the sea

2. Tides rise violently and gushed backings and homes eventually

PONDING1. Water slowly builds in

depressions, sinks, areas with clay base soil

2. Water seeps through clay and rocks and flood communities and other streams nearby

for example, flooding in New Market.

Loss of lives Damage to social infrastructure (schools, clinics,

police stations etc.) Loss of livestock Damage done to subsistence farms No electricity Water ways gets contaminated Disruption of family life – migration Diseases (malaria etc)

SOCIAL IMPACTS OF FLOODS IN JAMAICA

Cash crops destroyed Government has to make arrangement for

shelters and aid Government has to use limited funds to repair

roads etc Inflations (high cost of living) Damage to country’s tourism product Loss of jobs Businesses are destroyed

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF FLOODS IN JAMAICA

Lands where flooding has been before can be very fertile – New Market Oval

Houses close to gullies and slopes normally has retaining walls

In some cases houses tends to have an elevated structure (house bottom)

In SOME communities people tend to shun building houses on river banks and coast line

Local government regulate where graves can be built to avoid the contamination of streams

CULTURAL IMPACTS OF FLOODS IN JAMAICA

In some cases affected residence gets better housing from the government and international aids

Soil becomes more fertile after flooding EMPLOYMENT: Residents get short term

employment (e.g. to clean up areas) and contractors rebuild infrastructures

Cohesion: different countries joining in efforts to help

Advantages of Floods

Spread of waterborne diseases Loss of lives and livelihoods Loss of vegetation Destroy infrastructures (roads, pipes, parks,

schools) Pollution of drinking water (clean drinking

water becomes scarce)

Disadvantages of Flooding