Assessment of flood mortality indices in a Mediterranean framework: A comparative analysis between western Algeria and southern Italy

Abstract

Flood mortality is a serious concern requiring a better understanding of risk factors and their reduction measures. To understand the specificities of flood mortality between developed and developing countries in a Mediterranean framework, we created an accurate database of 242 cases of death recorded in western Algeria and Calabria (southern Italy). This database covers a 33-year period (1990–2022) and includes the time and place of fatal accidents, victim characteristics, circumstances of death, and victim behavior. In order to highlight the people's vulnerability, we have innovatively developed 13 mortality indices summarized in four complex indices: i) human, ii) physical, iii) environmental, and iv) circumstantial. The results revealed a decrease in high-mortality events and the annual amount of flood fatalities in both regions. The frequency of fatalities and the average number of deaths per year are higher in western Algeria, although the average number of fatalities per flood is practically the same. The flood mortality seasonality is similar oppositely to the spatial distribution. The assessment of mortality indices revealed similarities in vulnerability, except for the flood risk identification, rainfall and event death indices, which highlight the vulnerability of western Algeria, requiring prevention and protection actions suggested in this study. One of the research questions for future studies is to focus on the complex interaction between precipitation and basin-scale conditions, further strengthening the investigation into the role of victim behavior. Moreover, precise fine-tuning of proposed indices and their assessment procedure validation may lead to new practical recommendations for saving lives in future floods.