Flood susceptibility assessment of Jhelum River Basin: A comparative study of TOPSIS, VIKOR and EDAS methods

Abstract

Floods are frequent natural hazards that cause widespread destruction, particularly in low-elevated areas. This study focuses on identifying flood susceptible zones in the Kashmir Valley, known for historical flooding attributed to the overflow of the Jhelum River. Various Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques, including Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacijai Compromission Resenje (VIKOR), and Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS), were employed in this research. A total of 17 multidimensional factors were considered, and multicollinearity tests revealed no correlation among these factors. The results of the MCDM models indicate that areas along the Jhelum River are classified under very high flood susceptible zone. Specifically, Srinagar city is consistently classified under very high flood susceptible zone by all three models. Approximately 4.27 %, 9.67 %, and 5.39 % of the total area were identified as very high susceptible areas by TOPSIS, VIKOR, and EDAS, respectively. The models exhibited robust performance, as evidenced by the Area Under the Curve of the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve (AUC-ROC). Notably, VIKOR demonstrated excellent performance among the three models in generating flood susceptible maps. The favorable outcomes of these models underscore their potential application in similar regions facing comparable challenges. This study carries significant implications for policymakers, administrators, and local authorities involved in flood management within the Kashmir Valley. The insights provided can inform proactive measures and strategies to mitigate the impact of floods and enhance the overall resilience of the region.