ABSTRACT
Widespread flooding in 2005, both in Central Europe and as a result of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, focused worldwide attention on the importance of thought are usually called natural disasters, but how “natural” are these events? It can be argued that they are to some extent “human-made” if preventive measures were inadequate or lacking (Voogd 2004). This is important if adequate protective measures are not taken despite a considerable probability of flooding, such as in the case of New Orleans (Maimone 2006).
