Flood and Sediment Disasters Triggered by 1999 Rainfall in Venezuela; A River Restoration Plan for an Alluvial Fan.

Abstract

Severe rainfall during December 1999 triggered numerous landslides, debris flows, and flash floods on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, resulting in a great number of deaths estimated as between 25,000 and 50,000. The natural as well as social conditions that led to this severe disaster were analyzed. A combination of bad conditions was seen as the cause. A numerical simulation method for reproducing phenomena that occur on an alluvial fan is introduced. It was verified by a comparison of the calculated results with actual situations. This simulation method was used to assess the efficacy of possible countermeasure plans. A combination of sabo dams and channel works was found effective on the fan of the Camuri Grande River.