First International Symposium on Flash Floods in Wadi System - Disaster Risk Reduction and Water Harvesting of Flash Floods in the Arab Regions was held at the Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI), Kyoto University, Uji Campus, Kyoto, Japan from 14 to 15 October 2015.

The Symposium on Flash Floods in Wadi System focuses on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) by discussing current mitigation measures for protection against flash floods in arid and semi-arid regions, and consequent wise use of floodwater (water harvesting) in Wadi systems.

There are twenty-two Arab countries with a total population of 420 million. The Arab region is located in arid and semi-arid zones. The climate is characterized by hot dry summers, moderate winters, and very little rainfall. Rapid increase of population and urbanization has pushed people to high disaster risk zones such as on unstable hills and Wadi's flood plain located in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Yemen. Among the topics of the Symposium, integrated flash flood management is discussed on several fronts: flood protection, hydrological modeling, water harvesting, social implications, future development of Wadi's, integrated risk management, sedimentation in reservoirs, water resources management and dam constructions.

This symposium was organized as a collaborative activity of the Global Alliance of Disaster Research Institutes (GADRI) which aims at strengthening global collaboration and exchange in joint research activities within international institutes and researchers. Flash flood problems in arid and semi-arid regions are listed as one of target issues for such collaboration.

For further details of the Symposium Program, click here