Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
HESS
Articles | Volume 28, issue 12
Articles | Volume 28, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2603-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2603-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 28, issue 12
Opinion article
 | 
19 Jun 2024
Opinion article |  | 19 Jun 2024

HESS Opinions: The sword of Damocles of the impossible flood

Alberto Montanari, Bruno Merz, and Günter Blöschl

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Short summary
Floods often take communities by surprise, as they are often considered virtually impossible yet are an ever-present threat similar to the sword suspended over the head of Damocles in the classical Greek anecdote. We discuss four reasons why extremely large floods carry a risk that is often larger than expected. We provide suggestions for managing the risk of megafloods by calling for a creative exploration of hazard scenarios and communicating the unknown corners of the reality of floods.
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