Articles | Volume 25, issue 6
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-2097-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-2097-2025
Research article
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01 Jul 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 01 Jul 2025

Qualitative risk assessment of sensitive infrastructures at the local level: flooding and heavy rainfall

Alessa Truedinger, Joern Birkmann, Mark Fleischhauer, and Celso Ferreira

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Almeida, L. Q. de, Welle, T., and Birkmann, J.: Disaster risk indicators in Brazil: A proposal based on the world risk index, Int. J. Disast. Risk Re., 17, 251–272, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2016.04.007, 2016. 
Asian Development Bank: Schools with Earthquake-proof Technology Survive Nepali Disaster, https://www.adb.org/news/features/schools-earthquake-proof-technology-survive-nepali-disaster (last access: 10 April 2024), 2015. 
Au, B.: Weg ist frei: Levana-Schule bekommt neuen Standort im Kreis Ahrweiler, https://www.rhein-zeitung.de/lokales/kreis-ahrweiler/weg-ist-frei-levana-schule-bekommt-neuen-standort-im-kreis-ahweiler_arid-2693591.html (last access: 9 January 2025), 2024. 
Beccari, B.: A Comparative Analysis of Disaster Risk, Vulnerability and Resilience Composite Indicators, PLoS currents, 8, https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.dis.453df025e34b682e9737f950 70f9b970, 2016. 
Birkmann, J., Cardona, O. D., Carreño, M. L., Barbat, A. H., Pelling, M., Schneiderbauer, S., Kienberger, S., Keiler, M., Alexander, D., Zeil, P., and Welle, T.: Framing vulnerability, risk and societal responses: the MOVE framework, Nat. Hazards, 67, 193–211, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-0558-5, 2013. 
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Executive editor
The paper provides new and interesting insights on risk assessments for sensitive infrastructure. While risk assessments for critical infrastructure are relatively established the authors highlight the need for similar definitions and procedures for sensitive infrastructure such as special needs education facilities. The paper makes an important contribution by both defining sensitive infrastructure and developing a risk assessment process. A case study for a special needs school affected by the 2021 floods in the Ahr valley, Germany provides interesting insights on how to apply the risk assessment method developed by the authors to inform a 'build back better' approach.
Short summary
In post-disaster reconstruction, emphasis should be placed on critical and sensitive infrastructures. In Germany, as in other countries, sensitive infrastructures have not yet been focused on; therefore, we developed a method for determining the risk that sensitive infrastructures are facing in the context of riverine and pluvial flooding. The easy-to-use assessment framework can be applied to various sensitive infrastructures, e.g., to qualify and accelerate decisions in the reconstruction process.
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