Using your river flooding case studies…
Be prepared to write about just one of your case studies or to compare them.
- Use a case study to describe responses to river flooding (8)
- Explain why rivers flood (3)
- Describe how the effects of river flooding vary between richer and poorer parts of the world (8)
- Use case studies to explain why the responses to river flooding vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth (8)
- Use a case study to describe the effects of river flooding (6)
- Describe the effects of river flooding using a case study from a poorer part of the world. (8)
- Describe the responses to river flooding in a richer part of the world (8)
Comparing responses
River Severn / River IndusThe local people / In Tewksbury the people received help from the local council and fire and rescue services (they were able to call for help – Gloucestershire fire and rescue received 30000 calls over 2 days, compared to their average of 2000 calls in a whole year!)
In the longer term ,they had insurance to help repair their homes / Immediately after the floods, the people had to help themselves, searching for survivors and food and water. 6 Million people needed food aid.
In the longer term many were still homeless months after the floods.
The fire and rescue services and local councils / These were well organised, closing the electrical substations for safety and the Mythe Water Treatment works.
Reception centres were set up in local schools and community centres to help flood victims / The Pakistanis did not have a well organised rescue service and the scale of the problem was very difficult to cope with anyway, in terms of getting to everyone in remote areas and the 20 million people affected.
Governments / In the longer term, The UK government launched a formal review of flood defences and increased the budget for flood protection work by £200million.
Response systems were improved and local people were issued with Flood Guides to ensure that they were better prepared for future flooding. / The government set up a special committee but they were criticised for their slow response and concerns were raised over corruption. It also struggled to cope due to the huge scale of the disaster.
Aid agencies (Charities – Non-Government Organisations NGOs) / Most people had their own insurance protection and the government offered support. So charities did not get involved. / Appeals were launched and money was raised (£550m) to help provide essentials. Charities such as Oxfam provided clothing kits and vaccinations to help with the spread of disease.
In the longer term they established ‘cash for work’ programmes to provide employment. The United Nations provided food aid.
An example…
- Use case studies to explain why the responses to river flooding vary between areas of contrasting levels of wealth (8)
In richer countries responses seem to be better organised and quicker. In Tewksbury,the local council opened temporary shelters when the River Severn flooded in 2007 and the Mythe water treatment works was shut for safety. They liaised with fire and rescue services and organised the distribution of bottled water. Most people also had their own insurance against flooding so that, in the longer term they will be able to afford to repair the damage and return home.
In poorer countries the majority of the people are very poor and they have to rely on NGOs as the governments cannot always afford the cost of managing the response or have the necessary equipment and staff to implement any organised response. In Pakistan the scale of the flooding on the River Indus in 2010 was enormous, with 20 million people being affected. This made it even harder for its own government to deal with. Aid agencies such as Oxfam launched international appeals, raising over £500 million. This helped with clothing and vaccinations. The United Nations launched a food programme for the 6 million people starving. Unlike the people along the River Severn, many Pakistanis remained homeless a year later. They also needed help to find work and Oxfam launched a ‘cash for work’ scheme. The Pakistani government faced complaints about how slow it was to respond but it did provide soldiers to help with the distribution of the relief supplies.
In the longer term the UK Government gave an extra £200million to improving flood defences on the Severn and the local people were issued with Flood Guides so that they knew how to prepare for future flooding. In Pakistan, some people did receive some money from their government to help with repairs but millions still rely on aid from charities and have faced even more severe flooding in 2013.
How good is this answer?
Level / Description / Marks1Basic /
- Knowledge of basic information, Simple understanding
- Little organisation; few links; little or no detail;
- uses a limited range of specialist terms
- Reasonable accuracy in the use of spelling, punctuation and grammar Text is legible
2Clear /
- Knowledge of accurate information , Clear understanding
- Organised answers, with some linkages; occasional detail/exemplar;
- uses a good range of specialist terms where appropriate Considerable accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar Text is legible
3 DetailedLevel 3 does not always equate to full marks, a perfect answer is not usually expected, even for full mark /
- Knowledge of accurate information appropriately contextualised and/or at correct scale
- Detailed understanding, supported by relevant evidence and exemplars -Well organized, demonstrating detailed linkages and the inter-relationships between factors
- Clear and fluent expression of ideas in a logical form; uses a wide range of specialist terms where appropriate
- Accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar Text is legible