A Situation-Based Analysis of Flash Flood Fatalities in the United States

• DOI: 10.1175/bams-d-15-00276.1
• Publication Date: 2016-07-19T19:45:58Z
• Authors: Galateia Terti; Isabelle Ruin; Sandrine Anquetin; Jonathan J. Gourley
• Keywords: Flash flood; Vulnerability; Social vulnerability

Abstract This paper investigates the circumstances of 1,075 fatalities from flash flooding recorded 1996 to 2014 across United States. study provides insights into situations fatality events as determined by victims’ profile and activity spatiotemporal context flooding. A reclassification individual circumstance (i.e., location and/or activity) is performed explore statistically timing, duration, flood event age gender victims. In agreement with other studies, more than 60% reported were related vehicles involving mainly males. geospatial analysis indicated these most common in southern states. Further, 21% occurred outdoors, typically neighborhoods near streams, where victims exhibiting high-risk-taking behavior, such cleaning out drains even playing floodwaters. Human vulnerability varies dynamically on a subdaily basis depends social natural factors flood. For example, campsite-related associated very fast-responding (less 5-h duration), commonly after midnight, impacted younger females males alike. On hand, inundation permanent buildings longer-duration elderly. Situational rather generic examination required realistically capture risky cases during short-fuse events. The which people perished floods suggest that situational