Flood mapping and damage assessment due to the super cyclone Yaas using Google Earth Engine in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India

Abstract

This study maps flood inundation and estimates the damage caused by super cyclone Yaas in Purba Medinipur, India. We used Google Earth Engine (GEE) to create a flood inundation map of the research area using pre and post-cyclone Sentinel-1 SAR data. Using ESRI 2020 land cover data, flood damage was analysed. The flood affected 5% (239.69 km2) of the land of Purba Medinipur. The northern and southern regions were affected the most. 95% and 3% of the total flooded area are comprised of agricultural and vegetation, respectively. Kolaghat (24 km2) and Nandigram-II (1 km2) sustained the greatest damage to both agriculture and vegetation. The areas below 18m were impacted by flooding, with the worst damage occurring below 5m. The GEE platform was cost-effective, efficient, and faster at calculating with enhanced precision. The outcomes of this study will aid in the management of cyclone-induced hazards. We advocate planting native and salt-tolerant crops to reduce flood damage.