Abstract
Flash floods induced by heavy rainfall occur frequently in China, which cause severe damages or even casualties every year. Flash floods generally occur in small catchments, and therefore were poorly documented. A Database including 963 flash flood events in China is compiled and studied in this study. Analytical results (a) indicate flash flood condition in China; (b) shed light on the spatial-temporal distribution of flash flood under heavy rainfall and (c) detect the characteristics of the 2016 flash flood. In 2016, the deaths due to flash floods were severe and concentrated, accounting for about half of the elderly and children. Hebei and Fujian provinces were most affected by flash floods. The disasters mainly occurred in July and the major types were river floods. Despite the frequent torrential rains, inadequate monitoring and early warning systems made the flash flooding condition even worse in 2016.
Highlights
A flash flood is the rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas in response to intense rainfall associated with a severe thunderstorm or a sudden release of impounded water in a short period of time, generally within minutes up to 6 h in a catchment with areas of up to 400 km2 [1,2,3]
In China, mountainous areas account for about two thirds of the total area, of which flash flood prone areas account for about 48% [23]
According to a survey of 25 major flash flood events in Europe during the past two decades [4], half were properly documented on routine stage measurements
Summary
A flash flood is the rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas in response to intense rainfall associated with a severe thunderstorm or a sudden release of impounded water (e.g., dam or levee break) in a short period of time, generally within minutes up to 6 h in a catchment with areas of up to 400 km2 [1,2,3]. Previous studies have been conducted based on the historical flash flood events records. In 2016, China still suffered severe flash floods, with a death toll recognized as the highest in the past three years and more than two times greater than in 2015. Based on 963 detailed and officially recorded flash floods, this study will, for the first time, analyze the characteristics, and discuss the reasons for the serious catastrophic events. The main purpose is to provide a window for scientists into understanding the severity of China’s flash floods
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