International Historical, Political, Economic, Social, and Engineering Responses to Flood Risk

According to the United Nations, more than 90% of all deaths from natural disasters are water related, and 99% of deaths from Ÿood from 1975 to 2001 (i.e., over 250,000 people) were from low-income groups (UN, 2004). In richer countries, total disaster losses are generally less than 2% of the GDP (gross domestic product), while in poorer countries the ¥gure is nearly 14%.