THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

EXAMINATIONS OF

May

2015

Code and Name of Course: ENGR3001 Natural Hazards and Disaster Management in the Caribbean
Date and Time:

Duration: Three (3) Hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES: This paper has 3 pages and 5 questions

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

The University of the West Indies

Course Code ENGR 3001

2015 /

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner and/or the
External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must be signed by the First and
Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations). The EXTERNAL
EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant
Registrar (Examinations).
..
First Examiner

..
University Examiner

..
Second Examiner

..
External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: 2015//

Date: 2015//

Page 2

Question 1
What is the difference between a natural hazard and a natural disaster?
(5 Marks)
The Caribbean Islands like most Small Island Developing States are highly vulnerable to natural hazards.
Discuss the reasons for this high vulnerability.
(15 marks)

Question 2
What is a flood hazard map?
(4marks)
Describe how the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) can make such a map in its
operations.
(16 marks)
Question 3
(a) What do you understand by the term a 10 year flood?
(2 marks)
(b) Recent studies on Climate Change predict that in the future, the severity of floods would intensity. If the
peak flows of Caroni River are expected to increase by 30% by 2050 and the current statistics for the
Caroni River are
Q

average

= 75m3/s

The standard deviation of peak flow is 50 m3/s

What would be the peak flow for a 50-yr flood in 2050?
Assume that the flows in the Caroni River follow a Gumbel Distribution, which is given by the
following equation:
Q=Q
t

+ K
av

The University of the West Indies

Course Code ENGR 3001

2015 /

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner and/or the
External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must be signed by the First and
Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations). The EXTERNAL
EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant
Registrar (Examinations).
..
First Examiner

..
University Examiner

..
Second Examiner

..
External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: 2015//

Date: 2015//

Page 3

Where:

Q denotes the magnitude of the T-year flood event, K is the frequency factor, Q and are the mean
t

av

and the standard deviation of the maximum instantaneous flows respectively

The frequency factor K is expressed as
6
T

K=
0.5772 + ln ln

T 1
(6 marks)
(c) Flood mitigation can take the form of structural measures or a non-structural measures.
Describe three each of these measures giving examples.
(12 marks)
Question 4
(a) What are the main goals of Disaster Management?
(4 marks)
(b) Describe the Disaster Management Cycle. Use a sketch to where possible.
(4 marks)
(c) With reference to a hurricane list at least 3 activities that would be appropriate to the different elements
of the Disaster Management Cycle.
(12 marks)
Question 5
(a) What organisations has the primary responsibility for disaster management in your island and in the
region?
(3 marks)
(b) The probability of Tobago experiencing Category Two hurricane is 1 in 10. What is the probability of
Tobago having six (6) Category Two hurricanes in the next 20 years?
(9 marks)
(c) Why are Natural Hazards and Disaster Management critical to sustainability?
(8 marks)

END OF EXAMINATION PAPER

The University of the West Indies

Course Code ENGR 3001

2015 /

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner and/or the
External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must be signed by the First and
Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations). The EXTERNAL
EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant
Registrar (Examinations).
..
First Examiner

..
University Examiner

..
Second Examiner

..
External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: 2015//

Date: 2015//

Page 4

The University of the West Indies

Course Code ENGR 3001

2015 /

DO NOT WRITE OR TYPE ON THE BACK OF THIS SHEET: USE ONE SIDE ONLY

INSTRUCTIONS: Each page must be signed by the Examiners and where applicable, the University Examiner and/or the
External Examiner. Where the examination does not require a University Examiner, the form must be signed by the First and
Second Examiners. Completed forms should be handed to the Assistant Registrar (Examinations). The EXTERNAL
EXAMINER is requested to sign the question paper and return it with comments, if any, (on a separate sheet), to the Assistant
Registrar (Examinations).
..
First Examiner

..
University Examiner

..
Second Examiner

..
External Examiner (where applicable)

Date: 2015//

Date: 2015//