The Humphreys family: How a dike saved her at home from the flood!

The Humphreys family: How a dike saved her at home from the flood!

Ridgely, Tennessee, USA - in Ridgely, Tennessee, is a region under water, while a single house that stays dry for the Humphreys family. This impressive protective measure is the result of years of efforts by the family, which has built its own dike on the river bank. These preventive measures have now proven to be a lifesaver, while the flood disaster in the region affected over 120 families and tragically also cost at least 21 people. The rivers Mississippi and Obion came across the banks and frightened the residents. The Humphreys family now plans to provide future tips on the flood protection that could help many to live more safely in times like this. OE24 reports that ...

The mere survival history of the Humphreys reflects the need for better and more sustainable flood protection strategies that are essential these days. The researcher Peter van Veelen from the Technical University of Delft emphasizes the importance of living with water and continuously rethinking these protection strategies. The increased occurrence of floods as a result of climate change requires long -term solutions and innovative approaches in dike construction, which not only ensure flood protection, but also serve the urban infrastructure. Deutschlandfunk Kultur notes that ...

The challenges of climate change

The flood disaster from 1953, in which many dikes broke in the Netherlands and almost 1835 people died, shows how vulnerable regions are near the coast. In view of this story, current developments such as the early warning system "Earlydike" or the research of intelligent geotextiles that measure moisture in the dike are of enormous importance. Lower Saxony has over 1000 kilometers of dike length, which must be expanded continuously. The need to regularly check the stability of dikes every twelve years is essential to avoid disasters in the future.

In addition, the "Delta Flume" in Delft is working on new dike models that can withstand the challenges of extreme weather events. These tests simulate crusher heights of up to 4.5 meters and are intended to promote improvements in dike design in order to ensure security and quality of life in potentially affected areas.

inspiration from history

The devastating consequences of floods and the experience from the past have led to growing awareness of the risks. In Hamburg, for example, laws were changed after the storm surge in 1962 to integrate flood protection into new construction areas. Rotterdam also faces the challenge of adapting the city to rising water levels. New residential areas are sometimes unprotected, which is why alternative protection concepts have to be developed to guarantee the safety of citizens.

Overall, the experiences of the Humphreys family and the current state of research in dike construction show how important it is to develop innovative solutions in order to minimize the dangers of floods and to protect people in flood areas. The fight against the elements requires constant vigilance and adaptability.