Having studied the different consequences of floods in MEDC’S and LEDC’S, we came to the conclusion that LEDC’S tend to have a more devastating initial impact because, firstly, the preparation MEDC’S had for the flood was much bigger and more effective, Australia and Germany had more than 50 flood protection concepts, which are the different ideas to prevent floods and most of them were put into practise. Levees were reinforced, and dikes were built as well as new retaining walls, while in LEDC’S very little money was spent on the preparation and prevention of walls,although damns were constructed in India and also they are making a system called early warning system, which tells you if a flood is imminent. Despite all of the preparation, both LED’S and MEDC’S, still suffer the effects of this natural disaster.
Additionally, warning systems worked perfectly in Australia and Germany; thousands people were evacuated immediately by soldiers and volunteers, while in Sudan there was not one warning system and people realised it was flooding when it was already too late. In India, warning systems are being developed and constructed in this moment. As a result of the lack of warning system more than 100 people died in the LEDC’S countries (India and Sudan), while less than 20 people died in the MEDC’S countries (Germany and Australia).
In MEDC’S countries like Germany and Australia no houses nor buildings were destroyed, they all remained standing up; although some personal belongings were lost, as in MEDC’S people are richer they had the money to replace them. Otherwise in LEDC’S countries lots of buildings and houses were damaged if not destroyed and tons personal belongings went missing; people in LEDC’S didn’t have enough money to replace them. In the LEDC’S case people had a bigger emotional impact because when it takes more sacrifice to get something, the more attached you would be.
Germany and Australia, MEDC’S, have a more powerful and developed government that reacted faster to this natural disaster, in fact it was almost immediate. While in India and Sudan, LEDC countries, the government didn’t send help until the country was completely flooded. Plus in MEDC’S all the help was received from its own government, while in LEDC’S most of the aid was received from other more developed governments.
Despite of the floods being stronger in Germany and Australia the recovery was more effective and quicker; in less than two months it was like the flood had never happened. While in Sudan and India despite of the floods being less strong and habitants being more used to it the recovery was less effective, still now you can see the effects of the flood.
So this are the most critical differences between MEDC and LEDC towards coping with a deadly natural disaster: FLOODS.
CONCLUSION
By: Maria Camila Rojas and Agata Sassoli
Magazine / FEB 2014 11