Urban Flood Risk in Peri-urban Settlements of South Africa: Investigating Physical and Social Dimensions

Focusing on South Africa, it becomes evident that traditional physical science approaches to flood risk management is not adequate for a comprehensive understanding of the flood risk of peri-urban communities. A more integrated approach that draws methods from both the physical and social sciences becomes necessary to better understand the physical flood hazard(scape) and the vulnerability of the at-risk population. Such an understanding is anticipated to lead to a more comprehensive strategy for urban flood risk management in the developing country context. This book is an attempt to demonstrate, by way of actual events, how such an integrated approach can be achieved and the merits thereof. The research is based on field experience of the 2006 and 2007 extreme weather events in the town of George in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.