Flood Risk Assessment Research Articles

Geospatial Mapping and Meteorological Flood Risk Assessment: A Global Research Trend Analysis.

Flooding is a global threat causing significant economic and environmental damage, necessitating a policy response and collaborative strategy. This study assessed global research trends and advances in geospatial and meteorological flood risk assessment (G_MFRA), considering the ongoing debate on flood risk management and adaptation strategies. A total of 1872 original articles were downloaded in BibTex format using the Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus databases to retrieve G_MFRA studies published from 1985 to 2023. The annual growth rate of 15.48% implies that the field of G_MFRA has been increasing over time during the study period. The analysis of global trends in flood risk research and practice highlights the key themes, methodologies, and emerging directions. There exists a notable gap in data and methodologies for flood risk assessment studies between developed and developing countries, particularly in Africa and South America, highlighting the urgency of coordinated research efforts and cohesive policy actions. The challenges identified in the body of extant literature include technical expertise, complex communication networks, and resource constraints associated with the application gaps of the study methodologies. This study advocates for a holistic research approach to flood disaster management through ecosystem-based adaptation that underpins the Sustainable Development Goals to develop innovative flood techniques and models with the potential to influence global decision-making in the G_MFRA domain. Addressing these global challenges requires a networked partnership between the research community, institutions, and countries.

Wastewater flooding risk assessment for coastal communities: Compound impacts of climate change and population growth

The study introduces a wastewater modeling framework that evaluates the compound impacts of intense rainfall, groundwater infiltration, sewer aging based roughness and population growth on wastewater systems. It integrates property and city-level flooding risk assessment and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) capacity analysis into a single methodological approach. The framework applied to the coastal city of Charlottetown, whose population increased from 30,887 in 1981 to 42,440 in 2023, but the wastewater system did not expand accordingly, resulting in frequent sewer backups, street and basement flooding, as witnessed during the extreme wet weather event of September 2, 2021. Using PCSWMM (Personal Computer Storm Water Management Model), the study assessed that the city-wide wastewater flooding risk in Charlottetown, based on 2023 population data and historical IDF curves, affects 13.31% of the network during a 2-year storm and 18.38% during a 100-year storm. These risks increase to 14.5% and 22.6% under future IDF scenarios, reaching 17.89% and 26.4% by 2060 with projected population growth. The WWTP capacity is exceeded by 27.8% during peak wet weather flows from a 2-year storm and by 86.3% during a 100-year storm, based on 2023 population and historic IDFs. Under future IDF scenarios for 2060 population, exceedances rise to 103.6% and 169.1% respectively, for a 2-year and 100-year storm. Basement flooding risk affects 13.35% of basements during a 2-year storm and 18.31% during a 100-year storm, for 2023 population and historic IDFs. Future IDF scenarios indicate risk increasing to 17.77% and 25.80% by 2060 for a 2-year and 100-year storm respectively. The hydraulic modeling results indicate that GWI is not currently impacting the study area, nor is it expected to in near future, because the groundwater table is over 10 m deep, while wastewater pipes are no deeper than 6 m. The framework and study have significant social implications and benefits, including protecting public health, enhancing the resilience of urban infrastructure, and safeguarding the environment, ultimately improving the quality of life for residents in coastal communities like Charlottetown.

Evaluation of flood metrics across the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin and their relation to flood damages.

Societal risks from flooding are evident at a range of spatial scales and climate change will exacerbate these risks in the future. Assessing flood risks across broad geographical regions is a challenge, and often done using streamflow time-series records or hydrologic models. In this study, we used a national-scale hydrological model to identify, assess, and map 16 different streamflow metrics that could be used to describe flood risks across 34,987 HUC12 subwatersheds within the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB). A clear spatial difference was observed among two different classes of metrics. Watersheds in the eastern half of the MARB exhibited higher overall flows as characterized by the mean, median, and maximum daily values, whereas western MARB watersheds were associated with flood indicative of high extreme flows such as skewness, standardized streamflow index and top days. Total agricultural and building losses within HUC12 watersheds were related to flood metrics and those focused on higher overall flows were more correlated to expected annual losses (EAL) than extreme value metrics. Results from this study are useful for identifying continental scale patterns of flood risks within the MARB and should be considered a launching point from which to improve the connections between watershed scale risks and the potential use of natural infrastructure practices to reduce these risks.

Whether higher risk indicates severe loss in the flood disaster assessment: A comparative analysis in the Hubei province of central China

Study regionHubei province, Yangtze River Basin, Central China Study focusRisk and loss analysis constitutes a critical element of flood disaster management. Nevertheless, the relationship between risk and loss has been infrequently examined in the literature. Here we developed a comparative analysis framework for assessing flood risk and loss in Hubei Province. The risk model incorporates 22 indicators in terms of hazard, exposure, vulnerability and emergency response & recovery capability. Indicator weights were determined through a combination of objective and subjective weighting methods based on the game theory. Flood risk and loss levels were classified using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation and grey correlation analysis respectively. New hydrological insightsAnnual risk and loss maps exhibit a spatial pattern of higher levels in the eastern regions and lower levels in the western regions. However, the relationship between risk and loss was not as well as expected during designated flood periods. While regions impacted by disasters typically demonstrated higher risk levels, the risk in the regions unaffected by flood disasters appeared to be overestimated. By analyzing flood risk and loss across various temporal scales, this research contributes a novel perspective for the evaluation of flood risk models.

Flood risk assessment under the shared socioeconomic pathways: a case of electricity bulk supply points in Greater Accra, Ghana

This study evaluates flood susceptibility and risk on Bulk Supply Points in the Greater Accra region (GAR) using a Frequency Ratio model based on 15 flood conditioning factors. The model explores the influence of natural, meteorological and anthropogenic factors on flooding occurrences under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios and assesses flood risks at Bulk Supply Points (BSPs). Flood susceptibility mapping was conducted for both current and future periods under various SSP scenarios. Results reveal that elevation, slope, soil type, distance from urban areas, and SPI are the most influential factors contributing to flooding susceptibility in the region. The current flood map, about 37% of the total area of GAR categorized under the moderate flood-susceptible zone category followed by about 30% categorized under the low flood-vulnerable zone. However, about 16% was categorized under the very high flood-vulnerable zone. The study projects increasing flood susceptibility under the SSP scenarios with intensification under SSP2 and SSP3 scenarios. For instance, the areas categorized as high and very high flood susceptibility zones are projected to expand to approximately 32% and 26% each by 2055 under SSP3. The study also assesses flood risks at Bulk Supply Points (BSPs), highlighting the escalating susceptibility of power assets to flooding under different scenarios. For instance, in the very high scenario, flooding is estimated to reach 640 h in 2045 and exceed 800 h in 2055—more than double the 2020 baseline. The analysis shows the bulk supply points face increasing flood susceptibility, with risks escalating most sharply under the severe climate change SSP3 and SSP5 scenarios. Over 75% of BSPs are expected to fall in the low- to medium-risk categories across SSPs while more than 50% of BSPs are within medium- to high-risk categories in all scenarios except SSP1, reflecting the impact of climate change. SSP3 and SSP5 stand out with over 60% of BSPs facing high or very high flooding risks by 2055. It indicates moderate resilience with proper adaptation but highlights potential disruptions in critical infrastructure, such as BSPs, during persistent flooding. The findings of the study are expected to inform Ghana’s contributions towards addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 11 and 13 in Ghana.

Flood risk assessment for Mulde River catchment transferring data from an observed meteorological flood event

Extreme floods can cause significant damage to infrastructure, property, and human life and have long-lasting social, economic, and environmental impacts. Flood risk assessment is critical in areas where the frequency of flood events is altering due to climate change, anthropogenic warming, land use changes. Since the primary goal of flood risk management is to reduce the risk to a tolerable level, the risk assessment based on hydrological, hydrodynamic modeling, and damage analysis is essential to identify areas that are at risk of flooding, assessing the vulnerability of assets in the area, and evaluating the potential impacts on the human life, economy, and environment. The purpose of this study is developing a transferred approach between similar catchments to observe how the catchment response in terms of discharge and damage based on a particular extreme flood event in the past. To conduct the research, the meteorological variables from the Ahr River valley extreme flood event are acquired, and an approach is developed to transfer the same dataset into the Mulde River catchment to observe consequences of the event.

A novel urban flood risk assessment framework based on refined numerical simulation technology

Due to urbanization and climate change, urban areas are becoming more susceptible to flooding, posing significant risks to human life and property. Numerical simulation techniques can provide valuable support in mitigating urban flood risks. The objective of this study is to establish a novel framework for flood risk assessment based on refined urban flood simulations. To achieve refined urban flood simulations, the Torricelli’s law is incorporated into a two-dimensional fluid dynamics model, and a numerical analysis model is developed to estimate the inundation within buildings and accurately simulate the entire inundation process. The model was used to reproduce a real flood event in Omihachiman City, Japan, with the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) values of 0.6488 and 0.7182, demonstrating the credibility of the model. Based on the simulation results, the hydrological causes of the flood event were analyzed, and flood prevention measures were proposed. After implementing these measures, the maximum water depths at the study area were reduced to 0.14 m, 0.62 m, and 0.12 m, respectively, proving the effectiveness of the flood prevention measures. To address the issue of inundation depth not fully reflecting flood risk, the instability of human bodies in floodwaters is conducted to evaluate flood risk for adults and children in the target area. In response to increasingly frequent extreme rainfall events, the extreme precipitation events of three different return periods (10-year, 50-year, and 100-year) are used to assess the flood risk and the effectiveness of flood prevention measures. Based on the assessment results, the flood prevention measures not only reduced the flood risk levels but also decreased the flood risk area, further confirming their effectiveness.

Comparison and integration of physical and interpretable AI-driven models for rainfall-runoff simulation

Precise streamflow forecasting in river systems is crucial for water resources management and flood risk assessment. The Tagus Headwaters River Basin (THRB) in Spain is a key hydrological hub, providing regulated flow for agricultural, urban, and energy sectors, and facilitating water transfer to the Segura River Basin, a key semi-arid region. Given the basin's near-total allocation of water resources, accurate streamflow simulations are essential to optimize the socio-economic distribution and ensure sustainable management across both interconnected basins. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+), support vector regression (SVR), feed forward neural network (FFNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM) models in simulating the rainfall-runoff process at four gauging stations within the THRB. An ensemble machine learning technique is then applied to assess improvements in streamflow estimation. Results revealed that AI-based models significantly surpassed the SWAT+ model in performance. Furthermore, the application of an ensemble technique enhanced the precision of rainfall-runoff modeling by 18 to 26% during the calibration period and 4.1 to 9.2% during the validation period, compared to individual AI-based models. Additionally, the SWAT+ model's precision improved by 44 to 74% and 40 to 55% for the respective periods. The use of Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) methodology allowed the results of the ensemble with machine learning to be more interpretable by explaining how each model contributes to the prediction. This research offers significant contributions to hydrological modeling, highlighting the importance of ensemble techniques in elevating predictive accuracy for various river basins.

Supply and demand analysis and security pattern optimization of flood regulation ecosystem services adapted to the complex terrain of coastal estuaries: A case study in Xiamen

The flood risk in coastal areas has been exacerbated by global climate change. Research on flood risk assessment is emerging from the perspective of supply and demand for flood regulation ecosystem services (FRES). However, there are still limitations in the evaluation of lowland regulation, implementation of intelligent algorithms, comparison of multi-grain FRES supply and demand, and overall optimization of security pattern. Therefore, we propose a comprehensive FRES supply assessment method that incorporates soil and vegetation, lowland, and water regulations. Additionally, we introduce the random forest model to enhance the FRES demand assessment approach. Two grain sizes of the sub-catchment area and grid unit are used to compare FRES supply and demand. Using Xiamen as a case study, this research unveils the following findings: (1) Significant disparities exist between the assessment outcomes of FRES based on multiple types of regulatory services and those solely considering soil and vegetation regulation. The areas with high FRES supply extend beyond upper mountain forests to include local lower plains exhibiting strong capabilities for lowland or water system regulation. (2) Consistent yet distinct results are observed when comparing two grain sizes. Imbalances in supply and demand occur in estuaries, bays, and densely built-up regions. Sub-catchment units exhibit wider distribution and concentration, while grid units display more dispersed patterns. (3) In terms of in-situ regulation, 26.77 km2 ecological protection area, 9.85 km2 ecological restoration area, and 119.59 km2 construction land flood control intervention area are demarcated. From a directional regulation perspective, 22 FRES corridors connecting source and sink areas along with 24 pinch points are identified. Optimizing security patterns through coordinated management of FRES supply and demand can enhance the resilience of coastal estuaries.

For resilient rural shorelines: reviewing Nature-based Solutions for flood risk reduction in small coastal communities

Coastal flood risk poses a serious, existential threat to shoreline populations around the world both now and in the future. Unsurprisingly, global decision makers are considering their options – one of these being Nature-based Solutions – for effective disaster risk reduction which specifically targets coastal flooding. While strides have been made in the field of Nature-based Solutions for coastal flooding, much of this attention has been directed towards the urban setting, with a wealth of scholastic documentation to support this notion. The sizeable rural populations scattered throughout the world's small coastal communities, meanwhile, have been largely neglected in academic literature. Without this information, it is impossible to properly capture the full potential of Nature-based Solutions in (global) flood risk modelling endeavours or understand their role in the future of equitable disaster risk reduction. In light of this gap, we have reviewed the limited amount of existing literature from around the world involving the implementation and effectiveness of Nature-based Solutions in small coastal communities. We analysed 28 peer-reviewed studies to gather common themes and insights about the barriers and opportunities unique to these rural shorelines. Takeaways we have identified include a near consistent scarcity of resources (e.g., technical, financial, institutional) to implement disaster risk reduction measures; an abundance of space and opportune land use regimes which make Nature-based Solutions a highly plausible option; amplified nature contributions to people leading to larger benefits reaped from investments into Nature-based Solutions; and the presence of local knowledge regarding societal norms, climate patterns, and ecosystem capabilities. We argue that these four common themes point to the fact that more attention must be given to coastal flooding-focused Nature-based Solutions in the rural setting. As such, we present this collation as a starting point for future projects of similar setting and scope. We also recommend improving benefit-cost analysis methods as well as including local knowledge and other perspectives in future global assessments of coastal flood risk.

Projecting urban flood risk through hydrodynamic modeling under shared socioeconomic pathways

Under future climate change, accurate risk assessment of urban flooding disasters is paramount for effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. However, conventional indicator-based assessment methods often fall short of accurately capturing the complexity of flooding dynamics. Current research predominantly focuses on predicting future hazard shifts while overlooking changes in other critical indicators. In this study, we establish a comprehensive index system for risk assessment, and quantified future changes in most indicators, utilizing the InfoWorks ICM model for hazard simulation and the CLUMondo model for land use predictions. Based on risk assessment results and regional characteristics, we further analyze the key factors driving future risk and discuss corresponding measures. The results indicate an exacerbation of future urban flood risk, with an 18% increase in high risk areas, primarily concentrated in the center of the study area. The dominant indicators are inundation depth and land use over the whole study area. However microtopography significantly affects risk in low-lying areas. Overall, under higher emission scenarios, the influence of GDP and population rises. These findings offer methodological insights for future urban flood risk assessment research and provide policymakers with valuable guidance to develop targeted adaptation measures in response to climate change.

Community flood risk assessment in selected areas in Muntinlupa City

The study's objective is to hopefully create a profound awareness in the city government of Muntinlupa of the plight the community is experiencing. A quantitative research design was utilized in this study. Flood risk perception: The probability of whether a retention pond, increasing the diameter of the existing reinforced concrete pipes, and or increasing the road elevation can be a permanent or a quick-fix solution is still unknown until the local government can conduct a comprehensive technical and environmental assessment of the different vulnerability factors in the community. No significant differences were found between age, years of residency, and flood risk perception. Flood risk preparedness: No significant differences existed between age, years of residency, and flood risk preparedness. Substantial differences were found between gender and flood preparedness, and they favor the male gender. Flood risk awareness: No significant differences existed between age, years of residency, and flood risk awareness. There were substantial differences between gender and flood awareness, and they favored the male gender. The study's recommendations encourage the local government of Muntinlupa to conduct a comprehensive administrative, technical, and environmental assessment of the different vulnerability factors facing the selected areas in the community.

An operational discontinuous Galerkin shallow water model for coastal flood assessment

Hydrodynamic modeling for coastal flooding risk assessment is a highly relevant topic. Many operational tools available for this purpose use numerical techniques and implementation paradigms that reach their limits when confronted with modern requirements in terms of resolution and performances. In this work, we present a novel operational tool for coastal hazards predictions, currently employed by the BRGM agency (the French Geological Survey) to carry out its flooding hazard exposure studies and coastal risk prevention plans on International and French territories. The model, called UHAINA (wave in the Basque language), is based on an arbitrary high-order discontinuous Galerkin discretization of the nonlinear shallow water equations with SSP Runge–Kutta time stepping on unstructured triangular grids. It is built upon the finite element library AeroSol, which provides a modern C++ software architecture and high scalability, making it suitable for HPC applications. The paper provides a detailed development of the mathematical and numerical framework of the model, focusing on two key-ingredients : (i) a pragmatic P0 treatment of the solution in partially dry cells which garantees efficiently well-balancedness, positivity and mass conservation at any polynomial order; (ii) an artificial viscosity method based on the physical dissipation of the system of equations providing nonlinear stability for non-smooth solutions. A set of numerical validations on accademic benchmarks is performed to highlight the efficiency of these approaches. Finally, UHAINA is applied on a real operational case of study, demonstrating very satisfactory results.

Hurricane surge and inundation in the Bahamas, part 2: Flood risk assessment

AbstractA hurricane surge and inundation risk assessment has been carried out for Grand Bahama and Eleuthera in The Bahamas. 10,000 years of synthetic hurricane tracks were generated based on a statistical analysis of historical hurricanes from 1979 to 2020 inclusive. The surge and inundation were modelled using a hydrodynamic TELEMAC‐2D model covering sea around The Bahamas and the land of the two islands. Predictions of flood extents and depths were mapped for return periods of up to 1000 years for present day conditions and three climate change scenarios to 2100. The flooding experienced over Grand Bahama during Hurricane Dorian in 2019, was estimated to have a return period of up to approximately 450 years. Under the climate change scenarios the likelihood of flooding similar to Hurricane Dorian was estimated to be approximately 1.7 times more likely in 2050 and up to 3.4 times as likely in 2100 under a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario. The storm surge maps can be used by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology and other government agencies for emergency management, planning of infrastructure and building resilience in response to climate change.

Hurricane surge and inundation in the Bahamas, part 1: Storm surge model

AbstractA storm surge model has been developed as part of a pilot study for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The hydrodynamic model, TELEMAC‐2D, is used to simulate the response of water level to tide and the wind and atmospheric pressure fields of hurricanes and subsequent inundation over land. The model is used by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology to forecast storm surge and flooding over the islands of Grand Bahama and Eleuthera for incoming hurricanes to assist in preparation for and management of hurricane surge events and has been used in a flood risk assessment, reported in a companion paper. The model has been optimised to run quickly while also resolving the bathymetry and topography that affect the development and propagation of storm surge. Wind fields are generated within TELEMAC‐2D based on hurricane warning bulletins. The model has been validated for its representation of water level and against tide gauge measurements during four historical hurricanes: Irene, Sandy, Matthew and Dorian. Factors contributing to uncertainty in forecast predictions are discussed and recommendations are provided to improve the performance in future. The pilot study provides a template for future expansion to cover the other inhabited islands of The Bahamas.

GIS Applications in Land Management: Enhancing Flood Risk Assessment and Village Replanning

GIS Applications in Land Management: Enhancing Flood Risk Assessment and Village Replanning

Rainwater Flood risk assessment in Zaatari Refugees Camp- Jordan: Towards Sustainable Solutions

Refugee settlements are frequently located in isolated and remote areas, characterized by poor-quality land and harsh climatic conditions. Zaatari camp in Jordan has suffered and continues to suffer from rainwater floods every winter. This study uses GIS analysis to assess flood risk in the camp, revealing that 61.1% of the area is moderately risky, while 0.84% and 22.42% are very high and high-risk zones respectively. The highest risk areas are near the camp boundary. This study recommends a structural intervention and first-class priority at the entrance area of the camp as it is located within a high-risk area and is of vital importance from a functional standpoint. These recommendations range to areas within high-risk zone in (1, 2, 7, 12) districts, to moderate risk zone in (4,8,11) districts with precautionary and preventive measures. In addition, some structural solutions can be implemented in several stages. This research is significant not only for managing flood risk in Zaatari but also for providing a replicable methodology for similar humanitarian settlements worldwide.

FLOOD RISK MAPPING IN THE IRTYSH RIVER BASIN USING SATELLITE DATA

Floods are among the most frequent and devastating natural disasters, causing significant economic damage and loss of life worldwide. Effective flood risk management relies on accurate modeling techniques that can predict vulnerable areas and assess potential impacts. In this study, flood dynamics are simulated in the Irtysh River Basin near Ust-Kamenogorsk, a city in East Kazakhstan prone to seasonal flooding using high-resolution satellite imagery and digital elevation data. The primary objective is to visually model flood risks based on terrain characteristics. The study utilizes imagery sourced from the Mapbox platform, which combines data from MODIS, Landsat 7, Maxar, and the Google Earth Engine, providing access to Sentinel-2 surface reflectance imagery at 10-meter resolution. Elevation data from the Copernicus global digital elevation model, with a 30-meter resolution, is used to simulate flood progression. The flood simulation involves calculating flood depth relative to the terrain’s elevation, allowing for a pixel-by-pixel determination of submerged areas. Each simulation incrementally increases water levels to generate a sequence of images, showcasing the progression of flooding over time. The study describes hydraulic soil characteristics usage, and focuses on visualizing flood risk based on terrain data and water level changes. The simulation results indicate that flooding initially impacts riverbanks as water flow starts from the northwest of the city with critical infrastructure becoming vulnerable once water levels exceed 2 meters from the lowest elevation point. These findings highlight the potential of high-resolution satellite imagery and terrain data for flood risk assessment and improving urban flood preparedness. The results provide valuable insights into flood progression enabling more informed decision-making for disaster mitigation.

Combined dam-break modes between upper and lower reservoirs of pumped storage hydropower stations and associated flood risk assessment

ABSTRACT With the increasing construction of pumped storage hydropower projects in China, dam-break risk has become a matter of great concern. Typical pumped storage hydropower stations have relatively small storage capacity but are vulnerable to complicated combinations of dam breaks between their upper and lower reservoirs. This paper provides basic principles for determining different dam-break classes that could initiate at a pumped storage hydropower station and summarizes these in terms of risk source. After idealizing the breach development process, a simple dam-break model and a planar two-dimensional depth-averaged shallow flow model are used to calculate the discharge hydrograph of the dam-break flood and simulate the temporal and spatial characteristics of downstream inundation. Taking a montane rockfill-pumped storage project as an example, 12 dam-break schemes are used to examine different types of combined flow patterns driven by upper and lower dam breaks with modes that are gradual and/or instantaneous. It is found that predicted dam-break discharge hydrographs and downstream inundation indexes under adverse schemes fit common features of dam-break floods in mountain rivers. Downstream disaster losses are evaluated and flood evacuation routes are recommended. The findings of this study should be useful in ensuring the safe management of pumped storage hydropower stations.

Assessment of flash flood risks in the desert cities: a case study on Sabah Al-Ahmad, Kuwait

ABSTRACT Flash floods from rainstorms pose a severe natural hazard, especially dangerous in arid regions. This has occurred multiple times in Kuwait: in 1967, 1997, 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2020. For example, about 300 mm of rain beset the State of Kuwait on the 14th and 15th of November 2018. Subsequently, Sabah Al-Ahmad City was declared an environmental disaster zone, grappling with extensive water accumulation in its roads, urban zones, and surrounding valleys. This study focuses on (i) monitoring the hydro-geomorphological impacts of the floods on Sabah Al-Ahmad City and (ii) assessing the strategic plan to diminish flood risks, aiming to prevent a recurrence akin to the catastrophic events during rainstorms. (iii) proposing a protection plan for the city. The research employs various methodologies, including drones (UAV), field surveys, hydrological modelling, digital elevation model analysis, and spatial analysis of multi-spectral satellite imagery. These methods are instrumental in comprehending how flash floods impact the sustainable development of urban areas in Kuwait. Our approach is designed to support decision-makers and urban planners, enabling them to proactively identify flood-prone zones before future urban development initiatives in Kuwait.