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Titel |
The 2007 flood in the Sahel: causes, characteristics and its presentation in the media and FEWS NET |
VerfasserIn |
C. Samimi, A. H. Fink, H. Paeth |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1561-8633
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Science ; 12, no. 2 ; Nr. 12, no. 2 (2012-02-13), S.313-325 |
Datensatznummer |
250010500
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/nhess-12-313-2012.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
During the rainy season in 2007, reports about exceptional rains and
floodings in the Sahel were published in the media, especially in August and
September. Institutions and organizations like the World Food Programme
(WFP) and FEWS NET put the events on the agenda and released alerts and
requested help. The partly controversial picture was that most of the
Sahel faced a crisis caused by widespread floodings. Our study shows that
the rainy season in 2007 was exceptional with regard to rainfall amount and
return periods. In many areas the event had a return period between 1 and 50 yr
with high spatial heterogeneity, with the exception of the Upper Volta
basin, which yielded return periods of up to 1200 yr. Despite the strong
rainfall, the interpretation of satellite images show that the floods were
mainly confined to lakes and river beds. However, the study also proves the
difficulties in assessing the meteorological processes and the demarcation of
flooded areas in satellite images without ground truthing. These facts and
the somewhat vague and controversial reports in the media and FEWS NET
demonstrate that it is crucial to thoroughly analyze such events at a
regional and local scale involving the local population. |
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