“What influences how well householders living in previously flooded communities feel they are protected or could recover from future flooding?: Results of a survey”

Abstract

In England, the Environment Agency (EA) estimates that over 3 million properties in England are at risk of surface water flooding. Heavy and prolonged rainfall that drives surface water flooding is projected to increase in the future due to climate change. This paper presents a quantitative secondary analysis of a cross-sectional household flood survey in a disadvantaged city in England heavily impacted by surface water flooding in 2007 and at severe risk of flooding in the future. The aim of this study was to examine how previous experience of flooding, demographic factors, and behaviours impact on feelings of protection against flooding and perceived ability to recover from flooding. Survey data were collected from residents in Hull in northern England in 2018, in areas impacted by major floods in 2007 when over 8,600 households were flooded. Valid responses were received from 453 households, of whom 37.3% were flooded or flooding damaged their house (n = 169), 14.6% had been disrupted by flooding (n = 66), 9.3% had been exposed to flooding (n = 42) and 176 (38.9%) had not experienced flooding. Over 22% felt they had very low protection against flooding, and over 25% would make a very slow recovery if they were flooded. Associations were found between gender and both low levels of protection against flooding. Females were less likely to feel confident in their recovery from flooding than males (OR 0.551). The findings support a need to focus on women’s perceptions of flood vulnerability and capacity to cope and recover from flooding in flood and disaster management policy and practice, including providing effective support before, during and after flooding.