Abstract The Ghatal block of Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal, India experiences frequent flooding due to the overflow of the rivers Dwarakeswar, Rupnarayan, Shilabati, and their tributaries. Although the Ghatal master plan was prepared and the foundation stone was placed in 1982 to reduce the flood vulnerability in this region, the plan is still not being implemented. To determine the flood vulnerability in the Ghatal block, very few research investigations have been carried out. The previous studies just applied a successful scientific methodology to evaluate flood risk; they did not engage in participatory research with local community perception. Hence, a thorough investigation is needed to manage floods in a way that increases community resilience. Using a comparative review and the geographic information system (GIS), the study seeks to identify the flood-prone locations in the Ghatal block, which is essential for flood management in any region. The article uses a multi-criteria analysis to pinpoint probable flood hazard regions. Seven parameters are used in the study to carry out the multi-criteria analytical hierarchy procedure. Based on their relative importance for the event, the criteria’s weights are determined using the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method, and a Suitability Index is prepared. The index indicates that the severe problem of river flooding in the Ghatal block of Paschim Medinipur needs to be looked after on an urgent basis and with path-breaking solutions, especially for the Ghatal municipality and the various gram panchayats such as Irpala, Mansuka-I, Monoharpur-I, Ajobnagar-I, Mohonpur, Dewanchak-I and the North-Eastern part of Sultanpur and the Southern part of Dewanchak-II.