The most recent floods in the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany demonstrated once again the continued vulnerability of modern societies to natural hazards. The floods of 1993 and 1995 provide a near-perfect laboratory experiment for crisis management. The main objective was to enhance systematic understanding of national differences and similarities in flood management. Chapters 2 to 5 present the French, Belgian, Dutch and German experiences. In the concluding chapters, the national experiences will be compared and discussed in view of the disaster management literature. In the appendix, an overview of recent flood events in Europe is provided, as well as detailed accounts of sources used.