IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v12y2023i6p1211-d1168616.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evolution of Floods: From Ancient Times to the Present Times (ca 7600 BC to the Present) and the Future

Author

Listed:
  • Andreas N. Angelakis

    (School of History and Culture, Hubei University, Wuhan 430061, China
    Hellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO)—Demeter, National Foundation for Agricultural Research, Institute of Iraklion, 71307 Iraklion, Greece)

  • Andrea G. Capodaglio

    (Department of Civil Engineering & Architecture, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy)

  • Mohammad Valipour

    (Department of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, CO 80217, USA)

  • Jens Krasilnikoff

    (Department of History and Classical Studies, School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark)

  • Abdelkader T. Ahmed

    (Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Madinah, Medina 42351, Saudi Arabia
    Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Aswan University, Aswan 81528, Egypt)

  • Laila Mandi

    (National Center for Studies and Research on Water and Energy, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech P.O. Box 511, Morocco)

  • Vasileios A. Tzanakakis

    (Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Science, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Iraklion, Greece)

  • Alper Baba

    (Department of International Water Resources, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir 35430, Türkiye)

  • Rohitashw Kumar

    (College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, SKUAST—Kashmir, Srinagar 190025, India)

  • Xiaoyun Zheng

    (School of History and Culture, Hubei University, Wuhan 430061, China)

  • Zhang Min

    (School of History and Culture, Hubei University, Wuhan 430061, China)

  • Mooyoung Han

    (Institute of Construction and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea)

  • Bashiru Turay

    (Department of Geography, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany)

  • Esra Bilgiç

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir 35430, Türkiye)

  • Nicholas Dercas

    (Natural Resources Management and Agricultural Engineering Department, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

Floods are one of the most dangerous natural disasters, causing great destruction, damage, and even fatalities worldwide. Flooding is the phenomenon of a sudden increase or even slow increase in the volume of water in a river or stream bed as the result of several possible factors: heavy or very long precipitation, melting snowpack, strong winds over the water, unusually high tides, tsunamis, or the failure of dams, gages, detention basins, or other structures that hold back water. To gain a better understanding of flooding, it is necessary to examine evidence, search for ancient wisdom, and compare flood-management practices in different regions in a chronological perspective. This study reviews flood events caused by rising sea levels and erratic weather from ancient times to the present. In addition, this review contemplates concerns about future flood challenges and possible countermeasures. Thus, it presents a catalogue of past examples in order to present a point of departure for the study of ancient floods and to learn lessons for preparation for future flood incidents including heavy rainfalls, particularly in urbanized areas. The study results show that ancient societies developed multifaceted technologies to cope with floods and many of them are still usable now and may even represent solutions and measures to counter the changing and increasingly more erratic weather of the present.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas N. Angelakis & Andrea G. Capodaglio & Mohammad Valipour & Jens Krasilnikoff & Abdelkader T. Ahmed & Laila Mandi & Vasileios A. Tzanakakis & Alper Baba & Rohitashw Kumar & Xiaoyun Zheng & Zhang, 2023. "Evolution of Floods: From Ancient Times to the Present Times (ca 7600 BC to the Present) and the Future," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-52, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:6:p:1211-:d:1168616
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/6/1211/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/6/1211/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Joanna Boguniewicz-Zabłocka & Andrea G. Capodaglio, 2020. "Analysis of Alternatives for Sustainable Stormwater Management in Small Developments of Polish Urban Catchments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Oliver E. J. Wing & William Lehman & Paul D. Bates & Christopher C. Sampson & Niall Quinn & Andrew M. Smith & Jeffrey C. Neal & Jeremy R. Porter & Carolyn Kousky, 2022. "Inequitable patterns of US flood risk in the Anthropocene," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 12(2), pages 156-162, February.
    3. Jha, Abhas & Lamond, Jessica & Bloch, Robin & Bhattacharya, Namrata & Lopez, Ana & Papachristodoulou, Nikolaos & Bird, Alan & Proverbs, David & Davies, John & Barker, Robert, 2011. "Five feet high and rising : cities and flooding in the 21st century," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5648, The World Bank.
    4. S. Khan & E. Dialynas & V. K. Kasaraneni & A. N. Angelakis, 2020. "Similarities of Minoan and Indus Valley Hydro-Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Heidi Kreibich & Philip Bubeck & Mathijs Vliet & Hans Moel, 2015. "A review of damage-reducing measures to manage fluvial flood risks in a changing climate," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 967-989, August.
    6. Michalis Diakakis & Spyridon Mavroulis & Giorgos Deligiannakis, 2012. "Floods in Greece, a statistical and spatial approach," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 62(2), pages 485-500, June.
    7. A. N. Angelakis & G. Antoniou & K. Voudouris & N. Kazakis & N. Dalezios & N. Dercas, 2020. "History of floods in Greece: causes and measures for protection," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 101(3), pages 833-852, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hossain, Mohammad Khalid & Meng, Qingmin, 2020. "A fine-scale spatial analytics of the assessment and mapping of buildings and population at different risk levels of urban flood," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    2. Vasileios A. Tzanakakis & Andrea G. Capodaglio & Andreas N. Angelakis, 2023. "Insights into Global Water Reuse Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-30, August.
    3. Dimitra Angra & Kalliopi Sapountzaki, 2022. "Climate Change Affecting Forest Fire and Flood Risk—Facts, Predictions, and Perceptions in Central and South Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-28, October.
    4. Hashida, Yukiko & Dundas, Steven J., 2023. "The effects of a voluntary property buyout and acquisition program on coastal housing markets: Evidence from New York," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    5. Vangelis Pitidis & Deodato Tapete & Jon Coaffee & Leon Kapetas & João Porto de Albuquerque, 2018. "Understanding the Implementation Challenges of Urban Resilience Policies: Investigating the Influence of Urban Geological Risk in Thessaloniki, Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    6. Jantsje M. Mol & W. J. Wouter Botzen & Julia E. Blasch & Hans de Moel, 2020. "Insights into Flood Risk Misperceptions of Homeowners in the Dutch River Delta," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(7), pages 1450-1468, July.
    7. Brad Bottoms & Julie Arbit & Earl Lewis & Alford Young Jr, 2024. "Towards urban place-based resilience modeling: Mixed methods for a flood resilience assessment index," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 51(7), pages 1563-1580, September.
    8. Robin Bloch, 2012. "The Future of Water in African Cities : Why Waste Water? Integrating Urban Planning and Water Management in Sub-Saharan Africa, Background Report," World Bank Publications - Reports 12274, The World Bank Group.
    9. Dilshad Ahmad & Malika Kanwal & Muhammad Afzal, 2023. "Climate change effects on riverbank erosion Bait community flood-prone area of Punjab, Pakistan: an application of livelihood vulnerability index," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 9387-9415, September.
    10. Ruth Abegaz & Fei Wang & Jun Xu, 2024. "History, causes, and trend of floods in the U.S.: a review," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 120(15), pages 13715-13755, December.
    11. Frans Klijn & Bruno Merz & Edmund Penning-Rowsell & Zbigniew Kundzewicz, 2015. "Preface: climate change proof flood risk management," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 837-843, August.
    12. Rui-Song Quan, 2014. "Rainstorm waterlogging risk assessment in central urban area of Shanghai based on multiple scenario simulation," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 73(3), pages 1569-1585, September.
    13. Liao, Yanjun (Penny) & Sølvsten, Simon & Whitlock, Zachary, 2024. "Community Responses to Flooding in Risk Mitigation Actions: Evidence from the Community Rating System," RFF Working Paper Series 24-08, Resources for the Future.
    14. G.-Fivos Sargentis & Demetris Koutsoyiannis & Andreas Angelakis & John Christy & Anastasios A. Tsonis, 2022. "Environmental Determinism vs. Social Dynamics: Prehistorical and Historical Examples," World, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-32, June.
    15. Philip Bubeck & W. J. Wouter Botzen & Jonas Laudan & Jeroen C.J.H. Aerts & Annegret H. Thieken, 2018. "Insights into Flood‐Coping Appraisals of Protection Motivation Theory: Empirical Evidence from Germany and France," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(6), pages 1239-1257, June.
    16. Archana Patankar & Anand Patwardhan, 2016. "Estimating the uninsured losses due to extreme weather events and implications for informal sector vulnerability: a case study of Mumbai, India," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 80(1), pages 285-310, January.
    17. Raj Nallari & Breda Griffith & Shahid Yusuf, 2012. "Geography of Growth : Spatial Economics and Competitiveness," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6020.
    18. Sebastian Seebauer & Philipp Babcicky, 2020. "The Sources of Belief in Personal Capability: Antecedents of Self‐Efficacy in Private Adaptation to Flood Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(10), pages 1967-1982, October.
    19. Osberghaus, Daniel & Botzen, Wouter & Kesternich, Martin & Iurkova, Ekaterina, 2022. "The Intention-Behavior Gap in Climate Change Adaptation," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264073, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    20. Archana Patankar & Anand Patwardhan, 2016. "Estimating the uninsured losses due to extreme weather events and implications for informal sector vulnerability: a case study of Mumbai, India," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 80(1), pages 285-310, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:6:p:1211-:d:1168616. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.