Modelling evacuation preparation time prior to floods: A machine learning approach

Abstract

Flooding is a significant hazard responsible for substantial damage and risks to human life worldwide. Effective emergency evacuation to a safer location remains a concern even though the crisis can be predicted and warnings were given. During a calamity, most residents cannot quickly and securely flee. As it is crucial to start evacuation at the right time to have a safe evacuation, this study focuses on a machine learning-based model for predicting a household's evacuation preparation time in the incident of a flood. The study is based on the data collected from flood-affected people from Kerala, India, through a questionnaire. The study indicates that people's demographic, geographical and behavioural aspects, awareness of natural hazards and management are the critical components for improved emergency actions. Further, the article also analysed the characteristics of the respondents and successfully created clusters in which the respondents broadly belong, which will help the rescue team operationalize the evacuation process.