Examining flood vulnerability mapping approaches in developing countries: A scoping review

Abstract

In the face of climate change, mapping flood vulnerability has become important. This is because it helps to identify vulnerable people in particular communities and provides a better understanding of the causes of their vulnerability. The objective of this scoping literature review paper is to describe the components, elements, criteria selection methods, scale and settings, data, analytical approaches, the purpose of the maps, sensitivity analysis and accuracy assessment techniques used for mapping flood vulnerability in developing countries. A search over the last decade was conducted in Web of Science and Scopus using the keywords: “flood vulnerability” OR “spatial modelling” AND “developing country”. The results reveal that flood vulnerability mapping in developing countries was integrated and multi-disciplinary and the mapping was mainly done at a community level or local level. Indicator-based multi-criteria analysis approaches and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) were commonly used in mapping flood vulnerability. The selection of criteria or indicators was mostly based on the existing literature and expert knowledge. Stakeholder participation and use of indigenous knowledge in producing the flood vulnerability maps was limited in the reviewed studies. Sensitivity analysis was hardly done and the lack of reliable, updated and high-resolution data adversely affected the validation and usability of the flood vulnerability maps. Since a lot of people especially in urban areas are expected to be vulnerable to flood hazards due to climate change, validated and accurate flood vulnerability maps are crucial in supporting decision making and strategic interventions aimed are reducing flood risks.