The Application of Citizen Science to Evaluate the Emergency and the Response of the Population in the October 2019 Flash Flood Event in the Francolí River (NE Spain)

Floods are the natural hazards that cause the most damage and affect the most people in Spain. However, the response of the population and the actions they take before, during and after the emergency can be inappropriate due to inaccurate risk perception and preparation. This paper presents an analysis of the floods of 22–23 October 2019 in the upper area of the Francolí watershed (Catalonia, NE Spain), with the aim of analysing how to improve public perception and impact estimation through citizen science. To this end, a campaign (FLOODUP-Francolí) was organised together with a local institution that helped to engage participants. This consisted of a kick-off conference, a period of participation through tools adapted to the virtual format, including a questionnaire, and a face-to-face conference to present the results. The detailed analysis of the actions taken in the emergency allowed the identification of key aspects to improve flood prevention, response and recovery processes: clarity and consistency of communication, channels of communication, the timing of warnings, the preparedness of the population and the existence of agreed-upon self-protection protocols. Finally, this study demonstrates the contribution of citizen science initiatives in the field of natural hazards to improving community resilience and historical memory.