PERCEPTION OF FLOODS - TOWARDS MORE EFFECTIVE FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://www.ubm.ro/sites/CJEES/viewTopic.php?topicId=534 |
| Field | Earth magnetism, geography |
| Keywords | floods; flood risk; perception of flood risk; questionnaire survey; River Becva basin; River Morava basin |
| Description | Flood perception may significantly influence the implementation of flood control measures and mitigation of flood risk. Despite this fact Czech flood management still fails adequately to include social perception of flood situations as part of flood risk evaluation. The field questionnaire survey evaluates influences on the quality of life in four villages close to the confluence of the rivers Morava and Becva in Moravia, (the Czech Republic) threatened by flood in 1997, and perception of it. The results presented here illustrate that in the villages that have suffered flooding in the past, fear persists for a long time after the event. Spearman coefficient of 0.405 (p < 0.05) also suggests that social relations deteriorate with an increasing degree of risk. In the villages that suffered most, social relations worsened more than in those less afflicted. Results also indicate that satisfaction with the work of local authorities reduced with increasing degree of flood risk. The fact that none of 112 respondents was able to explain correctly the term 100-year flood could be also a problem. Part of the survey focused on willingness to participate financially in flood prevention. Results show that regardless of the degree of risk, in any given village, more than 50% of residents refuse to consider financial participation in flood prevention and control: indeed, with increasing degree of risk, such a recalcitrant attitude even intensifies. Also only 22% of respondents agree that a "flood tax" paid in 2011 in the Czech Republic should still be in place if the money were used appropriately. Results illustrate that respondents consider that the Czech administration, both local and national, bears full responsibility for addressing floods, as well as for the reconstruction of damaged areas. |
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