Why They Stayed and Why They Left-A Case Study from Ellicott City, MD after Flash Flooding

Ellicott City, MD was devasted by flash flooding in 2016 and 2018. A lack of qualitative research has been conducted on topics related to sense of place and flash flooding, especially in the United States. In this study, we reveal reasons why some who experienced flash flooding continued to stay the flood zone and why some leave. We utilized a phenomenological approach to answer these research questions. Data were generated through in-depth interviews with 19 participants from the Historic District and adjacent neighborhoods in Ellicott City. The most common reasons participants stayed were: (1) Community Impact, (2) Historical Land, and (3) Financial Burden. The most common reasons participants left were: (1) Emotional Exhaustion and Frustration, (2) Fear/Anxiety, and (3) Financial Burden. The results of our study indicate that reasons individuals who experience flash flooding stay, or leave may include community/historical, environmental, emotional, and economic factors. This reveals the complexity of relocation and sense of place after natural/environmental disasters and supports previous literature that suggests tailored response efforts based on these unique set of burdens. This paper aims to identify burdens and understand flood victims' decisions to help policy makers improve flood response efforts.

Automated summary

This study reveals the reasons why some people choose to stay in the flood zone after experiencing flash flooding in Ellicott City, Maryland, while others choose to leave. Through in-depth interviews, the data shows that the reasons for staying include community impact, historical significance, and financial burden, while the reasons for leaving include emotional exhaustion and frustration, fear/anxiety, and financial burden. The results of the study indicate that the decision to stay or leave is influenced by factors such as community/historical, environmental, emotional, and economic.