Transcript Case study: 2008 Mackay Disaster Floods

The 2008 Floods in Queensland:
A Case Study of Vulnerability,
Resilience and Adaptive Capacity
Armando Apan, Diane U. Keogh, David King, Melanie
Thomas, Shahbaz Mushtaq, Stephen Hinkler, Peter Baddiley
Wave of floods sweeps the globe
Pakistan Floods
Source: New York
Times (2010)
Toowoomba, Queensland flash floods
Source: Flickr (Timothy 2011)
Vaal dam overflows Johannesburg, South
Africa
Source: Smith (2011)
Brazil floods & landslides
Source: ABC News (2011)
Brisbane River during the Jan floods in
Australia
The 2008 Floods in Queensland –
Historic Case Studies:
Mackay and Charleville
Mackay – coastal city
Charleville – rural town
A Case Study of Vulnerability,
Resilience and Adaptive Capacity:
Theoretical Framework
Vulnerable - “A set of conditions and processes that determine the
likelihood of exposure and the resulting susceptibility of humans or
human systems to the adverse effects of a flood or other hazard” (Few
2006)
Resilience - Ability to return to former
state
Resilience – “The capacity of a system,
community or society potentially
exposed to hazards to adapt, by
resisting or changing in order to reach
and maintain an acceptable level of
functioning and structure” (Hyogo
Framework 2005)
Adaptive Capacity - Ability to
change to accommodate new state
Adaptation - “change and the
practice of individuals,
communities and societies as
they adjust their locations, life
courses and activities to
maximise new opportunities”
(Nelson et al. 2007)
IPCC Report - Climate Change
2007: Impacts, Adaptation and
Vulnerability
Chapter 7: Industry,
settlement and society
“Climate-change vulnerabilities of industry,
settlement and society are mainly related to
extreme weather events rather than to gradual
climate change (very high confidence).”
Flood Types
1.
Flash Flooding caused by
rainfall – for example
associated with cyclones
2.
Riverine / Inland Flooding –
often floodplains
3.
Sea Level Rise / Storm Surge
- mainly coastal areas
Climate change and flood impacts
on urban planning
Queensland coastline has
35,900 – 56,900
residential buildings
located within the
shoreline:
 Horizontal - 3 km
 Vertical – 6 metres
Sea level rise of 1.1 m
 Residential value of
$10.5 - $16 billion at
risk
Resilience to climate change –
planning legislation and policy
Australian State
Legislation
Planning Policy
- Flood Mitigation
Coastal Policy
- Climate Change
impacts (storm surge)
Victoria
Planning and
Environment Act 1987
State Planning Policy
Framework Coastal
Areas Policy (Clause
15: 08-2)
Victorian Coastal
Strategy 2008
NSW
Environmental Planning
and Assessment Act
1979
State Environmental
Planning Policy
Draft NSW Coastal
Planning Guideline:
Adapting to Sea Level
Rise
State Planning Policy
1/03: Mitigating the
Adverse Impacts of
Flood, Bushfire and
Landslide
Draft Queensland
Coastal Plan – Draft
Guideline Coastal
Hazards
Coastal Protection and
Other Legislation
Amendment Bill 2010
Queensland
Sustainable Planning
Act 2009
Flood Mitigation in Urban Planning –
the Netherlands
Amsterdam is a coastal
floodplain regulated by
a system of dykes.
Maintenance fee added
to residents water bill.
Flood Mitigation in Urban Planning
- Australia
 Australia’s Regional Flood Mitigation Program (1999)
National Disaster Mitigation Program
$75 million to 270 projects:
- construction of levees
- house raising
- flood proofing buildings
- bypass floodways
- flood control dams
- retarding basins
- channel improvements
- flood warning systems
- activities to raise community awareness.
Emergency Management Governance
in Australia
The 2008 Floods in Queensland –
Historic Case Studies:
Mackay and Charleville
North Mackay
Source: GHD (2009)
Study Aims -
Hypotheses
1. To understand how societies that are
regularly flooded operate and the
characteristics of their resilience or nonresilience.
• 1. That those established in areas that
are vulnerable to regular flooding, that
have greater connections within the
community display more resilience in a
flood disaster event.
2. To understand the characteristics of
communities that are ‘on the edge’, where
flooding might push them into non-viability or
reduced resilience.
• 2. That social groups with special
needs such as the elderly are less
resilient to a disaster flooding event
than other members of a community.
3. To understand the extent to which flood
mitigation measures (including State Planning
Policy 1/03) have been applied to reduce the
vulnerability to flood events.
• 3. That those who had applied flood
mitigation measures were more
resilient to flood disaster events.
4. The characteristics of vulnerability, resilience
and adaptive capacity of households and
businesses.
• 4. That those who have more
adaptive capacity, move from areas
that are vulnerable to regular
flooding, achieving increased
resilience.
Case studies: Charleville & Mackay Average Annual Rainfall
Mackay – a wealthy coastal city
Households (%) with a gross weekly income of $2500
or more according to Statistical Division
Mackay
Charleville
Mackay 2008 Flood Disaster Event
(flash flood): 15 February 2008
North Mackay catchment
Source: RACQ – CQ Rescue - after midday 15 February 2008
Hourly Hyetographs - Mackay
ALERT station
Mackay 2008 Flood Disaster Event
(flash flood): 15 February 2008
North Mackay catchment
Source: RACQ – CQ Rescue - after midday 15 February 2008
History of Charleville
floods caused by
flooding of the Warrego
River
Part of Warrego
River and
Charleville,
February2008
Charleville Flood Disaster Event
(riverine flood):
17 – 20 February 2008
Bradleys Gully floods Charleville (Source: BOM 2009)
Charleville Town Map (Source: Murweh Shire Council)
Methodology
Sample Group
Charleville
Mackay
Total
Number contact
65
400
465
Effective in-scope
sample
55
87
142
Response rate
85%
22%
31%
Number
contacted
15
142
157
Effective in-scope
sample
13
47
70
Response rate
87%
33%
44%
Number
contacted
30
38
68
Effective in-scope
sample
23
12
35
Response rate
77%
32%
41%
Households
Businesses
Institutions
Results
Hypothesis 1:
1. That those established in areas that are vulnerable
to regular flooding, that have greater connections
within the community display more resilience in a
flood disaster event.
Household hypothesis 1 finding:
Social Networks
Emergency Management Governance
in Australia
Hypothesis 2:
 That social groups with special needs such as the
elderly, are more likely to display non-resilience to a
disaster flooding event.
Vulnerability: the elderly
Mackay
Charleville
 Required mass evacuation of
 Lack of suitable
nursing homes.
 Several elderly admitted to
hospital for care.
 One death (an elderly man).
accommodation with the
required special facilities for
nursing home evacuees.
 Distance between towns for
resident or patient transport
created a barrier.
 Limited radio channels for
accessing information to
provide care (some needing
to rely on School of the Air
radio channels).
Flood impacts on health
Flood
Contact with
floodwater:
Increased exposure to
biological risks (toxins,
pathogens, etc.)
Drowning
Respiratory disease
Skin/eye infections
Water-borne disease
Vector –borne
disease(i.e. from
mosquitoes)
Displacement
Disruption of systems:
- food supply
- health
- water/sanitation
- Livelihood
- Property & assets
Impacts on mental
health
Source: Few (2006)
Lack of access to
treatment
Hypothesis 3:
 That those who had applied flood mitigation measures
were more resilient to disaster flooding events.
SPP 1/03: Mitigating the adverse
impacts of Flood, Bushfire and
Landslide
Mackay
 Mackay City Planning Scheme




2006 contains a ‘Flood &
Inundation Management Overlay’
which relates to riverine flooding
Storm surge is covered under the
Emergency Action Guide
But - No provisions for flash
flooding
Min floor level 300mm above the
Defined Flood Event (DFE 1/100 ARI flood event used)
But - Extensions to dwelling
houses permitted if there is 1
“Habitable Room” at least
300mm above the above the
DFE.
Charleville
 The Murweh Shire Council has a




flood overlay as part of the Town
Plan
Industrial area outside flood
prone area
New commercial premises in
flood area required to have an
upstairs area or an Evacuation
Management Plan
Habitable dwellings 300mm
above last known flood height
(1997 used)
But - Unaware that SPP 1/03 is a
policy & thought merely a
guideline.
Glenella, Mackay
These 2 houses with
raised floors were the only
2 not flooded in the entire
street
Flood mitigation – raised floor level
Households
Yes
No
Town
Mackay
Charleville
1%
9%
99%
91%
Businesses
Yes
No
Mackay
6%
94%
Town
Charleville
18%
82%
Flood mitigation - insurance
Household
Insurance
Yes
No
Business
Insurance
Yes
No
Town
Mackay
Charleville
68%
32%
32%
68%
Mackay
63%
37%
Town
Charleville
43%
57%
Flood mitigation – maintained drains
and ditches
Households
Yes
No
Town
Mackay
Charleville
72%
74%
28%
26%
Businesses
Yes
No
Mackay
37%
63%
Town
Charleville
92%
8%
Flood mitigation – avoided
irreplaceable items on ground floor
Households
Yes
No
Town
Mackay
Charleville
44%
52%
56%
48%
Businesses
Yes
No
Mackay
20%
80%
Town
Charleville
85%
15%
Hypothesis 4:
 That those who have more adaptive capacity, move
from areas that are vulnerable to regular flooding,
achieving increased resilience.
Plenty of ‘For Sale’ signs visible
North Mackay
Glenella
Relocation within the town
Households
Not at all
Not much
Neutral
Quite a lot
A great deal
Mackay
43%
9%
25%
5%
17%
Town
Charleville
46%
11%
11%
22%
9%
Mackay
55%
10%
14%
19%
2%
Town
Charleville
91%
9%
0%
0%
0%
Businesses
Not at all
Not much
Neutral
Quite a lot
A great deal
Migration to another town
Households
Not at all
Not much
Neutral
Quite a lot
A great deal
Mackay
55%
15%
16%
4%
11%
Town
Charleville
63%
15%
9%
6%
7%
Mackay
85%
7%
7%
0%
0%
Town
Charleville
82%
0%
0%
9%
9%
Businesses
Not at all
Not much
Neutral
Quite a lot
A great deal
Summary
 1. Charleville was found to be a more resilient
community than Mackay with more residents able to
return home sooner.
 2. Mental vulnerability was found to be a largely
unresolved issue resulting from the disaster event in both
case studies.
 3. Flood mitigation measures such as raising the floor
resulted in greater levels of resilience. Insurance
coverage prior to the flood was also found to play a
critical role in the adaptive capacity to flood disasters.
 4. Relocation and migration were options considered by
some residents in both towns as a means of adaptive
capacity but relocation was not at all considered by
businesses in Charleville and migration was not at all
considered by businesses in Mackay.
Current state of vulnerability,
resilience, adaptive capacity
Mackay
 There was ongoing evidence of




Charleville
 Bradley’s Gulley flooded again in March
reconstruction in flood affected
2010 and floodwaters (4.2m) were
areas in February 2010.
higher than in the 2008 floods (3.1m).
There are ongoing mental health
impacts as a result of the floods.  Ongoing mental health impacts and
the Department of Community Safety
Residents are relocating as a
result of the psychological
has reported that the community is not
impacts of the flood.
coping at all.
There were flood alerts
associated with Cyclone Ului in  $3 million sought from the Federal
government to build an estate outside of
March 2010.
the town’s flood zone.
Both towns flooded during the
recent Queensland disaster
 Murweh Shire Council requesting a
floods.
retarding basin or wall constructed.
Recommendations
 Facilitate community involvement in volunteer




organisations to build social capital.
Special Needs Registers to identify vulnerable
community members.
Incorporate SPP 1/03 into local government planning
schemes.
Ensure that flood damaged houses are reconstructed to
comply with the SPP 1/03.
Have Emergency Management Plans that can be
implemented by anyone available if key staff are not able
to be present.
Applications of Research
 Contributing to building more resilient cities to cope with
natural hazards and climate change.
 This research is an introduction into resilience and
adaptive capacity. Rather than looking from a
vulnerability perspective of resilience, further detailed
research is required on what makes a resilient
community from both social and planning perspectives.
Acknowledgements
 All the householders, businesses and
personnel from institutions in Mackay and
Charleville who were so generous with their
time and provided us with valuable insights
and information on the 2008 floods.
 Ernest Dunwoody and David Liddell for data
collection Charleville.
 Daniel Girling for the processing of data,
tables and graphs for the Mackay and
combined data.
 NCCARF for funding this work.
Key References
 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 2006, Census of Population and Housing
[Online]. Canberra. [Accessed].
 Attorney-General’s Department (AGD), 2010, Regional Flood Mitigation Program,
<<http://www.ag.gov.au>>, accessed 20 June 2010.
 Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), 2008, Report on Queensland Floods: February 2008,
BOM, Queensland.
 Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), 2009, available: www.bom.gov.au [Accessed 6 March
2010].
 Department of Climate Change (DOCC), 2009, Climate Change Risk to Australia’s
Coasts: A FIRST PASS NATIONAL ASSESSMENT, Australian Government, Canberra.
 Few, R., 2006, "Flood Hazards, Vulnerability and Risk Reduction", in Matthies, F. and
Few, R. (ed.) Flood Hazards & Health: Responding to Present and Future Risks,
Earthscan, London, London, UK.
 GHD, 2009, Goosepond and Vines Creek Flood Study: Final Report, Mackay Regional
Council, Mackay.
 International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), 2005, Hyogo Framework for
Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.
World Conference on Disaster Reduction. Kobe, Hyogo, Japan: United Nations.
 IPCC 2007. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. In: M.L.
Parry; O.F. Canziani; J.P. Palutikof; P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, E.,
Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment, (ed.) Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University
Press.
 Nelson, D. R., Adger, W.N. and Brown, K., 2007, "Adaptation to Environmental
Change: Contributions of a Resilience Framework", Annual Review of Environment
and Resources, 32, 395-419.
Questions/Comments
Centre for Disaster Studies, James Cook University
 Website - http://www.jcu.edu.au/cds/
The 2008 Floods in Queensland study:
http://www.nccarf.edu.au/node/216
Melanie Thomas
• Email : [email protected]
• Telephone : +61 421 721 689
Assoc. Prof. David King, Director of the Centre for Disaster Studies
• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone : +61 (07) 4781 4430