Hazard Mapping and Land-Use Planning – A Swiss Perspective

Abstract

Floods and debris flows have the potential to cause fatalities, displacement of people and damage to the environment, to severely compromise economic development and to undermine economic activities. As floods and debris flows are natural phenomena they cannot be prevented. However, some human activities (such as the increase in human settlements and economic assets in floodplains and the reduction of the natural water retention by land use) and climate change contribute to an increase in the likelihood and adverse impacts of (flash) flood and debris-flow events. Damage caused by these processes may vary across countries and regions.