- Supervisor: David Alexander and Gianluca Pescaroli
- Funding: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia - Cultural Bureau
- Email: naif.alrehaili.19@ucl.ac.uk
Assessing the Emergency Planning Requirements for Responding to Flash Floods in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The International Disaster Database- Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (EM-DAT) reports that in the past 2 decades a total of 7,348 natural disasters occurred. Moreover, around 1.23 people died due to a natural disaster, averaging sixty thousand deaths annually, with wider impacts on in excess of 4 billion individuals. In economic terms, such disasters globally caused the loss of around US$ 2.97 trillion2 (UNDRR, 2020). Compared to the preceding 2 decades, the number and impact of natural disasters in this period has significantly increased: from 1980 to 1999, there were 4,212 reported natural disasters across the globe, with loss of life of around 1.19 million and impacts on more than 3 billion and US$ 1.63 trillion lost in economic terms. Between 2000 and 2019, flooding made up 44% of recorded disasters and impacted on 1.6 billion individuals globally, which was more than for any other kind of disaster. Moreover, flooding is the disaster type which occurs most often, averaging 163 occurrences annually. Much of the impact of these events can be prevented however, as there are realistic planning approaches to preventing many floods. The current study puts forward a framework for disaster planning within a Saudi Arabian context on the basis of emergency planning requirements. This framework is developed to apply to natural disasters any kind; however, validation of the framework is carried out in relation to flooding.
Achievements and awards
- President of the UCL Saudi Society 2023–24
- Faculty Representative 2023-24 for Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Postgraduate Research
Publications
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2021). A Systematic Review of the Emergency Planning for Flash Floods Response in Saudi Arabia. Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 36 (4), 87-93.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2021). An Investigation into Emergency Planning Requirements and Challenges of Disaster Management in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Disaster Management. 4 (3), 1-10.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2021). Emergency planning requirements for flash floods response in Saudi Arabia. Proceedings of 2021 the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) Annual Conference, 5-9 December 2021, Herndon Parkway Suite 450 Herndon, VA, USA.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2022). A Structural Review on Disaster Management Models and Their Contributions. International Journal of Disaster Management. 5 (2), 93-108.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2023). The Need for Emergency Management Models. Journal of Emergency Management and Disaster Communications. 4 (1), 1-15. DOI: 10.1142/S2689980923500021.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2023). Flood Preparedness in the United Kingdom and China: A Comparison Study Focusing on Social and Economic Factors. International Journal of Disaster Management. 5 (3), 181-192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24815/ijdm.v5i3.28854.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2023). The Significance of Using Models in Emergency Management. Proceedings of the 6th Global Summit of GADRI, 15th to 17th March 2023, Organised at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus, Kyoto, Japan.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2023). Evaluation of Emergency Planning Approach for Managing Disaster in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Proceedings of the seventh Nothern European Emergency and Disaster Studies Conference (NEEDS 2023), 31st of October till the 2nd of November 2023, Organised at the University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
- Alrehaili, Naif. R. (2023). Exploring the Emergency Planning Requirements: A Qualitative Research Study at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Disaster Management. 6 (2), 165-178.