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Non-environmental factors, such as new infrastructure and better weather warnings, can help prevent the impact of flash flooding.
Jess Neumann, an associate professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, said that a long-term solution would involve the “radical redesign of urban areas.”
“Flash floods can affect anyone, anywhere. We take preparation for other hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis very seriously with education, drills, and emergency kits,” she said. “It is time we afforded the same to flood risk preparedness.”
John Marsham, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Leeds, agrees with Neumann’s assessment.
“Our entire infrastructure and civilization are based around a climate that no longer exists,” he said, adding that some locations are becoming more difficult to insure against flood damage.
Some cities are already considering better precautions for extreme weather events. For example, in 2022, the US Army Corps of Engineers unveiled its proposal to build a $52 billion moveable sea barrier along the New York Harbor to protect against storm surges.
These protections would also allow local economies to recover faster.
The EDF reported that the average flood event from excessive rainfall in the US costs around $4.7 billion.
Marsham and Liz Stephens, a professor in climate risks and resilience, said that local governments should also implement stronger warnings about the risks of flash flooding to prevent death and injuries.
“People shouldn’t be dying from these kinds of forecasted weather events in countries where they have the resources to do better,” Stephens said.