This publication produced by the French Directorate for the Environment (DIREN) underscores the vulnerability of the Ile-de-France (Island of France), the wealthiest and most populated region of France consisting mostly of the Paris metropolitan area, to flooding. It outlines a set of recommendations to mitigate the adverse effects of a possible major flood. The Ile-de-France is known to be a flood-prone region. In January 1910, the region experienced a major flood caused by the La Seine River. This flood was so significant that it was called the Centennial Flood, noting that such a major flood occurs only once a century. The 1910 flood severely damaged or destroyed water and electrical systems, the metro transportation network, communication systems, and hospitals. The city of Paris was paralyzed for months as a result of this flood. If there is ever another flood comparable to that of 1910 as a result of the Seine, DIREN asserts that hundreds of thousands of people will be directly affected. In addition to human beings, the agency contends that much of the region’s assets and infrastructure are also likely to be threatened by such a flood, which would have a serious negative impact on economic activities and the local environment. In order to mitigate the potential adverse effects of a major flood in the future, DIREN makes a set of recommendations which include developing a culture of risk awareness, regularly evaluating flood risks, limiting construction in flood-prone areas, adapting existing construction to flood risks, and integrating flooding risks into new constructions when they are authorized.
General Disaster Risk Management