Communicating storm surge risks via risk communication websites: a novel approach

Abstract

Websites related to storm surge risks mostly follow an instructive approach, often combining flood risk maps with historical information on floods, and instructions on how to behave in case of an approaching emergency, such as a dike break. Sometimes, these websites are enriched with additional media materials (photos in particular). However, while accurately representing flood risks in a matter-of-fact style, these websites neither highlight what such disasters actually mean for the everyday lives of the people concerned, nor do they appeal to the visitor's emotions - which is known to support the learning and personalization process related to the risk communicator's message. Therefore, the authors provide a concept for a risk communication website that combines oral history gathered via local citizen science projects with a reflection of flood disasters in the arts.