Analysis of the Local Characteristics of Flood Damage Vulnerability in an Urban Area: The Han River Basin

Abstract

In urban areas, the damage caused by locally concentrated heavy rainfall has recently increased due to the congestion of population and assets, high impervious ratio, and increased utilization of underground space. The extent and types of damage differ depending on the characteristics of the area. Therefore, the vulnerability to and impact of floods should be assessed according to local characteristics, and flood mitigation alternatives should be developed accordingly. In this study, the urban areas of the Han river basin were classified by flood vulnerability and damage characteristics, and the relationship between flood vulnerability and flood damage was analyzed using historical flood damage data. First, the municipalities of the Han River basin were divided into urban and non-urban areas by multivariate statistical analysis using urban factors. Next, climate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability were used to asses flood vulnerability for 56 local governments classified as urban areas. As a result of statistical analysis, they were divided into four clusters: regions with high flood vulnerability for all factors, regions with high flood sensitivity and low adaptability, regions with low sensitivity and high adaptability, and regions with low flood vulnerability for all factors. Finally, flood damage reduction measures were suggested according to the flood damage characteristics of each cluster. Keywords: Urban Flood, Flood Vulnerability, Principal Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis