Modern Flood Mitigation Techniques Being Practiced in the World and How can they be Adopted in Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract Floods are approximately yearly event in Pakistan. Pakistan is experiencing floods mainly because of its topography, ecology and climatic conditions. When these floods exceed their normal level they cause devastating effects. The recent floods caused large number of causalities, made thousands of people homeless and caused a damage amounting to several million rupees in Pakistan. Although it is impossible to eliminate floods but the economic and social impacts of flooding can be mitigated by a combination of structural and non-structural measures. Many techniques and mitigation measures are taken worldwide to limit the damages caused by the floods. The objective of this paper is to identify and describe the measures practiced globally for prevention, protection and mitigating the adverse impacts of flood events on human health and safety on valuable goods and services, and on the aquatic and terrestrial environment and how these practices can be adopted in Pakistan. As mitigation is considered to be a keystone of disaster management because it can pinpoint and affect the decisions made in preparing for, responding to and recovering from disaster, so measures must be taken and practiced in Pakistan to limit or reduce the effects of disasters.