The Consequences of a Flood

The June 2013 flood has been heralded as one of the most expensive natural disasters in Canada’s history with insurable losses estimated to exceed $1.7 billion [1]. Economic impacts are not the only effect of flooding, and insurance does not cover all of those economic impacts. 

The impacts of flooding can be separated into direct and indirect damage categories [2]. Direct damages are caused by flood waters coming into contact with humans, property, and other objects. Indirect damages are induced by flood related events. 

The following section outlines the direct and indirect consequences of flooding, sorted into the categories of economic, social, and environmental. These are not all consequences exclusive to the June 2013 flood, some of which are not yet fully known, but instead uses many examples from previous flood events to provide examples of experienced impacts. 

What are the consequences of flooding?

Sources

  1. Jacqueline Nelson. (2014, January 20).  Canadian insurers made record payouts in 2013. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/severe-weather-leads-to-record-32-billion-in-insurance-payouts/article16405099/
  2. B. Merz, , H. Kreibich, R. Schwarze & A. Thieken. (2010). Assessment of economic flood damage. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 10, 1697-1724. Retrieved from http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/10/1697/2010/nhess-10-1697-2010.pdf 
Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Ross Douglas

Ross Douglas

Board Member

Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.

Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.

Photograph of WaterPortal Board Member Brian Mergelas

Brian Mergelas, PhD, ICD.D

Board Member

Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market.   With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry. 

Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector. 

He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency. 

Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field. 

Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation.   As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.