Response to Weather Risks:
Management strategies:
● New flood defences built at a cost of £4.5 million → funded by central government and local community
○ Were essential to reduce extreme weather risk
○ Important that they didn’t harm the town’s tourist economy
■ eg/ a cleverly engineered mobile wall was built
● Rises when needed
● Disappears from view at other times → protects river view for cafes/restaurants
● Environmental Agency (EA) provided residents with improved flood warning information
○ Improves safety → gives people more time to evacuate and protect their properties
○ Some people have asked EA to send warnings directly to their phones
● West Cumbria Development Agency paid for adverts put in national newspapers
○ Announcing that Cumbria was “open for business as usual”
○ Helping local businesses get back up and start earning money again
Actions oflocal communities:
● Bottom-up actions = actions focused on reducing individual exposure to harm
● Risks have been lessened by communication via social media such as; Facebook/Twitter
○ eg/ during winter storms → railway companies tweet information /pictures of fallen trees
■ Customers then retweet them to other people → gives people time to change their route
● Homeowners in flood-prone areas have “future-proofed” their houses by having stone tiles instead of carpets
○ Although insurance will cover damage done to carpet → it will take a very long time
○ Stone tiles reduce the process and hassle
Actions of the government:
● Top-down actions = actions focused on protecting communities
○ Drought
■ Hose-pipe ban
■ Water companies can apply for a Drought Order → allows them to turn off supplies to houses
■ Water companies ask people to have a water meter fitted → stops people from wasting water
○ Storms
■ UK Met Office is improving its ability to make weather predictions
■ Weather warning are issued over a large range of media
■ Airlines and rail companies cancel service during strong winds → minimise risk of deaths
○ Floods
■ Thames Barrier completed in 1982 → prevents again storm surges
■ EA monitors ground moisture levels in river basins → helps them make flood predictions
■ New agreement called “Flood Re” → any houses on floodplains have higher insurance fees
● Causes people to avoid building in risky places → reduces risk
○ Cold weather
■ Councils in UK clear roads of snow/ice
■ National organisations make announcements in media warning people about blizzards
■ Charities raise awareness about increasing health risks for old people during cold conditions