Flood Vulnerability Assessment Research Articles

Assessing Flood Vulnerability Zones and Their Driving Factors to Guide Community-Based Resilience Planning Across Ngororero District, Rwanda

Assessing Flood Vulnerability Zones and Their Driving Factors to Guide Community-Based Resilience Planning Across Ngororero District, Rwanda

A novel framework for the spatiotemporal assessment of urban flood vulnerability

Considering the pressing Urban Flood (UF) challenges faced by developing countries, the assessment of Urban Flood Vulnerability (UFV) assumes paramount importance in comprehending the detrimental impacts of UF on urban environments, thereby facilitating effective UF management. Addressing a notable gap in previous UFV research, which predominantly focused on spatial characteristics while overlooking temporal dynamics, we introduce a novel framework for spatiotemporal UFV assessment, by presenting a multiplicative equation to elucidate the interaction between Urban Flood Susceptibility (UFS) and Vulnerable Entities (VE). Employing this framework in the Great Bay Area (GBA), by considering the composition of the UFV database, we leveraged Machine Learnings and the Urban Vitality Index for quantifying the UFS and VE, respectively. SHapley Additive exPlanations was employed to quantify the local contributions of various factors to UFV. We found (1) a discernible upward trajectory in UFV across the GBA from 2012 to 2020, coupled with an expansion in spatial scope, indicative of persistent challenges in the future, and (2) the impervious surface percentage emerges as the primary contributor to UFV, exhibiting spatial heterogeneity reflective of regional environments. We believe this study has the potential to significantly contribute to addressing UF challenges and fostering the development of sustainable cities.

Resilience-Vulnerability Balance and Obstacle Factor Analysis in Urban Flooding: A Case Study in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Resilience-Vulnerability Balance and Obstacle Factor Analysis in Urban Flooding: A Case Study in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Integrating geoenvironmental and socioenvironmental analyses for flood vulnerability assessment in the Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India

The escalating impacts of climate change necessitate a focused analysis of flood vulnerability in ecologically fragile and densely inhabited mountain areas, particularly in the Himalayan region. This study concentrates on the Kullu Valley within the Beas Basin, Himachal Pradesh, India, a locale characterized by its intricate terrain and dynamic climatic conditions. Employing an integrated approach of using satellite imagery, Geographic Information System (GIS), and field surveys, the research evaluates the region's topographical and hydrological attributes alongside land use patterns to discern flood vulnerabilities. Key findings from this study include, the identification of zones with elevated runoff potential, high-risk settlements, and vulnerable agricultural lands. The complex interplay of steep slopes and intricate stream networks exacerbates the susceptibility to flash floods in the region. The study's socio-environmental analysis resulted in the delineation of five zones, each exhibiting distinct adaptive capacities, exposures, and sensitivities. Particularly, Zones 5 and 4 emerged as highly vulnerable due to dense settlements and economic dependence on agriculture and tourism. This study suggests implementing a 100-m buffer zone along the river and monitoring the use of Common Property Resource (CPR) lands to mitigate flood risks. Our recommendations extend to enhancing emergency response protocols, improving disaster management team preparedness, improving communication and transport infrastructures, and ensuring medical facility accessibility. Overall, this research offers a comprehensive perspective on flood risk factors in mountainous landscapes, serving as a guide for policymakers and disaster management authorities in formulating resilient and sustainable flood mitigation strategies.

Assessment of Flood Vulnerability and Coping Strategies of Communities Living along River Tana in Madogo Ward, Kenya

Purpose: Flood is a natural disaster that occurs due to the sudden onset of rainfall that causes runoff waters from high to low altitude area. Community living along the River Tana in Madogo ward, Tana River County are affected by the floods when it occurs. It was therefore important to assess factors contributing to their flood vulnerability and assess their flood coping and adaptation strategy for current and future planning. This study assessed the factors contributing to flood vulnerability, adaptation and coping strategies along River Tana in Madogo Ward, Tana River County, Kenya. The research objectives were to assess the trends of flood occurrence in Madogo Ward between 2000 and 2020 as well as the coping and adaptation strategies of communities to floods in Madogo Ward.
 Materials and Methods: A descriptive research design approach was used. Data collection approaches involved the use of questionnaires to identify coping strategies by communities. Key informant interviews were also conducted with government officers within the study area to provide information on factors contributing to flood vulnerability, flood trends, occurrence adaptation and coping strategies. Secondary data was acquired through journals, books, and maps. The Statistical Package for Social Science was used to analyze the quantitative data. The analyzed data was presented through maps, tables, figures and graphs.
 Findings: The results indicated that the floods occur after every two years in the study area with different magnitudes and durations. The main coping strategies employed by the community living along River Tana in Madogo Ward was relocation to the higher grounds. It was also established that the community in the area had developed adaptive strategies to flood by putting barriers round their houses. Further findings indicated that the major flood vulnerability factor was topography of the area.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Based on the findings, it is being recommended that community leaders and county government of Tana River should not allocate plots in the flood zone area. Hence, there is a need for flood zone mapping for resident to know whether they are living within flood zone or not. Additionally, the people’s economic power should be enhanced through entrepreneurial training and giving them first priority in job opportunities. There is also a need to improve the quality of the infrastructures in the area to enhance their resilience to the negative impact of floods.

Flood vulnerability assessment, Case study: Cheshmekile Tankabon river

Flood vulnerability assessment, Case study: Cheshmekile Tankabon river

Spatial assessment of flood vulnerability and waterlogging extent in agricultural lands using RS-GIS and AHP technique-a case study of Patan district Gujarat, India.

Assessing and mapping flood risks are fundamental tools that significantly contribute to the enhancement of flood management strategies. Identifying areas that are susceptible to floods and devising strategies to reduce the risk of waterlogging is of utmost importance. In the present study, an integrated approach, combining advanced remote sensing technologies, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and analytic hierarchy process (AHP), was adopted in the Patan district of Gujarat, India, with a coastline spanning over 1600km, to evaluate the numerous variables that contribute to the risk of flooding and waterlogging. After evaluating the flood conditioning factors and their respective weights using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the results were processed in GIS to accurately delineate areas that are prone to flooding. The results highlighted exceptional precision in identifying vulnerable areas, allowing for a thorough evaluation of the impact severity. The integrated approach yields valuable insights for multi-criteria assessments. The findings indicate that a significant portion of the district's land, precisely 8.94%, was susceptible to very high- risk of flooding, while 27.76% were classified as high-risk areas. Notably, 35.17% of the region was identified as having a moderate level of risk. Additionally, 20.96% and 7.15% were categorized as low-risk and very low-risk areas, respectively. Overall, the study highlights the need for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of floods on vulnerable communities. The research findings were verified by conducting ground truth and visual assessments using microwave satellite imagery (Sentinel-1). The aim of this validation was to test the accuracy of the study in identifying waterlogged agricultural areas and their extent based on AHP analysis. The ground verification and analysis of satellite images confirmed that the model accurately identified approximately 74% of the area categorized under high and very high flood vulnerability to be waterlogged and flooded. This research can provide valuable assistance to policymakers and authorities responsible for flood management by gathering necessary information about floods, including their intensity and the regions that are most susceptible to their impact. Additionally, it is crucial to implement corrective measures to improve soil drainage in vulnerable areas during heavy rainfall events. Prioritizing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and improving land use are also crucial for environmental conservation.

Mapping of flood in the Juana Watershed for risk assessment

This research intends to map floods in the Juana Watershed. However, the flood disaster in the Seluna River system started when the flood land was developed for residential areas, agriculture as well as industry, so the damage potency due to the flood will increase. Along with the increasing of population number and density, the social impact that is more serious than flood will follow – like the threat of loss of life. The impact is the management of flood risk becomes more complex and expensive. The methodology for flood mapping consists of the assessment of flood index, vulnerability, and capacity. Determination of flood hazard index is carried out based on the classification of inundation depth. The process is carried out by using spatial calculation, so it can produce the risk map and grid value that can be used in arranging the explanation of the risk map. The result of flood mapping is hoped to be able to support the model development of flood risk management towards the area layout.

Flood vulnerability assessment trough overlay-scoring data method based on Geographical Information System (GIS) in Giriwoyo, Wonogiri, Indonesia

The Sub-District of Giriwoyo, located on the southern edge of Wonogiri District, is classified as an agricultural land. This subdistrict is located in the Keduang sub-watershed. This geographical condition makes this subdistrict extremely vulnerable to flooding. This research seeks to determine the distribution of flood-prone areas and categorize the level of flood vulnerability in the Wonogiri Regency, with Giriwoyo as a research site. Quantitative descriptive research employs a scoring procedure based on environmental conditions-related scoring parameters. These variables include slope, soil type, rainfall, altitude, land use, and buffers for river flow. The measured parameters are then layered in a geographic information system (GIS) application to generate a flood vulnerability map. The data analysis procedure employed a descriptive approach. The results indicate that the dispersed, areas of Giriwoyo are classified into 4 vulnerability catogeries such as not vulnerable, vulnerable enough, vulnerable and very vulnerable. Areas with vulnerable categories are scattered throughout the giriwoyo area which is dominated by rice fields and settlements with a flat slope. The very vulnerable area dominates the western part of the giriwoyo which has a lower elevation and flat slope. The parts of giriwoyo that are not prone to flooding are in Selomarto, Tukulrejo, and Girikikis.

Flood Susceptibility Assessment of Chandpur Sadar Upazila using Analytical Hierarchy Process and Frequency Ratio Model

Flood susceptibility is a critical aspect of natural hazard assessment and disaster risk reduction. The objective of this study find out flood risk zone of chandpur sadar upazila using the Flood frequency ratio (FFR) and Analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The article explore the complex idea of flood susceptibility, focusing on analytical techniques used. The integration of twelve spatial data layers, such as Sediment Transport Index (STI), elevation, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), slope, aspect, Land Use Land Cover (LULC), soil type, rainfall patterns, Normalize Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), drainage density and distance from the river, is required for the assessment of flood vulnerability. A flood inventory map was buildup and using these methods, two vulnerability map was created, it was discovered that 60% & 48% of Chandpur's territory is categorized by very high to high risk zone. Flood has dangerous effect on livelihood. I was hoped that it will be a helpful study for researcher and people of this upazila will be benefited.

Land use planning and climate change adaptation in river-dependent communities in Nigeria

Land use planning and climate change adaptation are critical for ensuring sustainable development and resilience in river-dependent communities in Nigeria. This study examines land use planning and climate adaptation in river-dependent communities in the Lower Niger River region of Nigeria. The research utilizes a mixed-methods approach. Data for the study were gathered from 198 households through surveys, complemented by 17 qualitative interviews and remote sensing techniques to assess land use changes and community perceptions. Findings reveal a notable trend where poor farmers face heightened vulnerability to climate change due to financial constraints, hindering their adoption of adaptive land use strategies. Specifically, more than half of the sampled households possess individual land for agricultural purposes yet lack the resources to effectively mitigate climate-related risks. Among the studied communities, Odekpe emerged as particularly vulnerable, with a prevalence of vulnerability at 32.3% and higher exposure to flood-prone zones.The quantitative analysis delineates community engagement in land management practices, showcasing proactive resource allocation and conflict resolution efforts among over 60% of participants. However, a significant portion (57.6%) lacked awareness of hydrological changes, potentially impeding effective land use planning and adaptation measures.Further analysis through remote sensing and mapping techniques revealed shifts in land use land cover, highlighting a transition from predominantly vegetated areas to built-up regions over the past three decades. The flood vulnerability assessment maps underscored substantial vulnerability across the Lower Niger basin, especially in downstream regions, indicating heightened risks due to proximity to the Niger River and heavy rainfall.Qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews identified challenges impeding effective land use planning, including uncertain climate projections, insufficient data, institutional capacity constraints, and conflicting priorities. Additionally, participants emphasized the need for resilient land use decisions to address urbanization impacts, altered drainage patterns, and diminishing green spaces. The study recommends several key actions to enhance the effectiveness of land use planning and climate adaptation in the Lower Niger River region. These include the imperative to strengthen institutional capacities, improve stakeholder engagement processes, integrate traditional knowledge and practices into planning efforts, fortify legal frameworks governing land use, and prioritize the promotion of sustainable livelihoods among local communities.

Assessment of flood vulnerability and identification of flood footprint in Keleghai River basin in India: a geo-spatial approach

Assessment of flood vulnerability and identification of flood footprint in Keleghai River basin in India: a geo-spatial approach

Integrated Flood Impact and Vulnerability Assessment Using a Multi-Sensor Earth Observation Mission with the Perspective of an Operational Service in Lombardy, Italy

The frequency and the accumulation of medium–small flood events can cause severe impacts. In a climate change context, real-time monitoring and a fast risk assessment are needed to support the post-disaster phases. The present work presents a novel methodology that leverages the potential of earth observation data to produce a proof-of-concept for flood vulnerability assessment, serving as the basis for a Map Operational Service for the Lombardy region. The proof-of-concept is related to both flood hazard estimation and vulnerability assessment, considering the evaluation of the potentialities of the synthetic aperture radar data when used to feed a downstream service. Using the city of Pavia (Italy), which was affected by a flood event in November 2019, as a case study, we present an integrated flood impact approach that includes a combination of social and physical parameters. The results contribute to a processing chain designed as a pre-operational service where each data analytic retrieves thematic products to support the exposure and damage estimates based on earth observation-derived hazard products for emergency and recovery responses. Three different satellites covered more than 40 h of the flood’s evolution, supporting the great potential of the multi-sensor approach. Therefore, different sensor configurations in terms of spectral bands (X and C bands) and resolutions (from 10 to 1 m) provide a near real-time view of the event. Comparing the results obtained through the three hazard scenarios, a final social and physical Integrated Impact Index is obtained. The added value information leads to the determination of hotspots with which to prioritize effective interventions during emergency and recovery phases, crucial for capturing inherent conditions that allow communities to absorb impacts and cope with a damaging flood event.

Flood vulnerability assessment in the flood prone area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Floods are among the most destructive natural disasters, causing extensive damage to human lives, property, and the environment. Pakistan is susceptible to natural calamities, such as floods, resulting in millions of people being impacted yearly. It has been demonstrated that flood severity is rising and may continue to escalate in the coming years because of climate change-induced changes in monsoon precipitation in the country. Given the country’s exposure to flooding, it is essential to assess the vulnerability to floods to prepare for and mitigate their impact in Pakistan. This study provides a new conceptual framework for assessing flood risk and vulnerability in Charsadda, a flood-prone district in Pakistan. It evaluates the vulnerability of settlements to floods based on four indicators: population density, the average gross domestic product (GDP) of land, the distance between settlements and rivers, and land use and cover (LULC). The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique was integrated with the geographical information system (GIS) to assess the level of vulnerability to floods in the study area. The results reveal a higher degree of vulnerability to floods in the region. The spatial pattern of vulnerable areas reveals a significant connection between high-risk flood areas and densely populated areas during different flood seasons. The results further reveal that more than 60% of the area is arable land and is highly susceptible to flood. The population and their land-use setup show high and extremely high values of vulnerability in the normalized threshold of 0.3–0.4, respectively. The study provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the chosen indicators, evaluation methods, and results, making this a valuable contribution to the field of flood vulnerability assessment. The findings of this study also include thematic maps and related information to the stakeholders for effective vulnerability management in the study area.

An integrated statistical-geospatial approach for the delineation of flood-vulnerable sub-basins and identification of suitable areas for flood shelters in a tropical river basin, Kerala

Flood vulnerability assessment is crucial for developing effective flood management and mitigation strategies. The present study aims to understand the flood vulnerability of the Kallada River Basin (KRB) and identify suitable locations for safe flood sheltering facilities in the basin. As part of this, morphometric analysis of KRB was carried out by dividing the basin into fifty-eight 4th-order sub-basins to understand the sub-basin-wise terrain characteristics and the degree of vulnerability to flooding. GIS tools were used to assess various morphometrical parameters, such as drainage frequency, texture ratio, ruggedness number, basin relief, bifurcation ratio, length of overland flow, drainage density, circularity ratio and area, and geo-environmental factors such as sand percent, rainfall, and mean slope of these basins. The morphometric parameters exhibited distinct spatial trends, with higher values primarily concentrated in the east and northeast parts for certain parameters and in the western parts for others. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, the sub-basins were categorized into six clusters, revealing that 51% were vulnerable to floods, 26% moderately vulnerable, and 22% not vulnerable. Sub-basins in the central and western KRB were found to be highly vulnerable to flooding, while those in the eastern parts showed moderate vulnerability or were not vulnerable. Flood vulnerability mapping was validated using flood data of 2018 and 2019. Additionally, the weighted overlay method identified suitable areas for flood shelters in moderately vulnerable and vulnerable sub-basins and the areas were categorized into highly suitable, suitable, moderately suitable, and not suitable areas. Most areas of SB53 and SB55 were found highly suitable, emphasizing their potential for flood shelter locations. The findings of this study can be used by competent authorities to initiate flood mitigation and to develop targeted flood preparedness measures in similar river basins, particularly in the context of increasing flood events.

A Community-Based Approach to Flood Vulnerability Assessment: The Case of El Cardón Sector

Flood pose a récurrent thread to the population of Venezuela, primarily due to the characteristics of its basins and human activities in alluvial zones. While hydrometeorological phenomena contribute to flooding, human decisions regarding land use intensify the impact. This research project aims to provide comprehensive information and tools to empower the inhabitants of the Cardón Sector to mitigate flood risks effectively. Through a structured approach comprising four chapters, the project seeks to establish a precedent for addressing flood-related challenges at both the research and community levels.

Identification of the critical factors in flood vulnerability assessment based on an improved DEMATEL method under uncertain environments

With accelerated urbanization, the expansion of urban construction land and the increase in concrete pavement have led to a continuous decline in the natural permeability of the urban surface. This makes it difficult for rainwater in urban areas to infiltrate quickly into the ground, which may lead to urban flooding disasters in cases of heavy rainfall. In recent years, the frequency of urban flooding disasters has been increasing, posing a great safety threat to communities and residents as well as property damage. Therefore, it is important to build a scientific and reasonable community flooding vulnerability assessment system to improve the community emergency response capacity and reduce the losses caused by flooding disasters. In this paper, 94 indicators for community flooding vulnerability assessment are collected by combining literature research and field surveys. The newly proposed fuzzy language expression method based on pentagonal fuzzy numbers (PFN) and the proportional two-tuple linguistic representation (P2TLR) are used as the first step of indicator evaluation and screening, and PFN-P2TLR with the two-step DEMATEL method are combined as the second step of indicator screening. Finally, 23 representative evaluation indicators belonging to the dependent variable are selected. Following a thorough investigation, it was found that “resident characteristics”, “regional economic strength”, “community precipitation status” and “institutional soundness” are the four most influential factors for community resilience to flooding, and these indicators have a significant impact on other indicators. The research results provide a reliable basis and specific guidance suggestions for community flooding vulnerability assessment, which is crucial for further reducing the occurrence of flooding disasters and mitigating the social and economic losses caused by them.

Integrating asset-specific flood vulnerability assessments with value-based preservation processes to develop the Heritage Building Flood Robustness Toolkit

Climate change is posing a growing threat to cultural heritage buildings, and many cities lack the capacity to manage these risks. One significant challenge is flooding, which can cause significant damage to heritage buildings. A literature review identified gaps in current research on heritage adaptation, including: a lack of tools for assessing the vulnerability of asset-specific cultural heritage buildings to flooding and providing recommendations for adaptation; limited examples of successful architectural adaptation of cultural heritage buildings to flooding impacts; and insufficient consideration of values, such as aesthetic, in adaptation tools. In response to these gaps, we developed a Heritage Building Flood Robustness Toolkit that incorporates both architectural and engineering considerations. The Toolkit is designed as a decision support tool to assist asset owners and key stakeholders, such as community groups, to make more quantified and informed decisions on heritage adaptation. The Toolkit includes three key advancements: an enhanced component-based methodology for individual cultural heritage building flood vulnerability assessments; improved recommendation of adaptation strategies aided by component-based risk assessments; and integration of user values, including aesthetic implications, into adaptation recommendations through adopting a Structured Decision-Making process. The Toolkit was tested on two buildings in Cockatoo Island, Sydney (Australia) with different materials and construction techniques. The results highlight the Toolkit's ability to support decision-making through more precisely assessed adaptation strategies based on asset-specific flood damage assessments and its sensitivity to user preferences, particularly aesthetic impacts from adaptation implementation. The Toolkit can be used as an instrument by planners, designers, and councils to enhance the protection of cultural heritage against flooding in the future.

Wastewater treatment plant site selection using GIS and multicriteria decision analysis

PurposeCesspits are the means for each house to dispose of wastewater in the Bani Kinanah District (BKD) of Jordan, which creates severe environmental complications. This research aimed to find a suitable site for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in BKD.Design/methodology/approachGeographic Information System (GIS)-based multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) was used for an optimal site selection for a sewage treatment plant. Several datasets were obtained to prepare the maps of the criteria influencing the choice of the most suitable site for the WWTP. The analytic hierarchy process was used to apply the weights for each factor.FindingsFive classes of suitability were generated: 0.23% very high suitability, 8.49% high suitability, 47.12% moderate suitability, 37.67% low suitability and 6.49% very low suitability. According to Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) results, the elevations, slope and groundwater depth have high importance; where their weights 21%, 19% and 17%, respectively. The most suitable site for establishing a WWTP was found in the northern part of the study area, where it is characterized by relatively low elevations (−90 to −93 m), low slope (0–2.5 %), distance from groundwater level (47–82 m) and the space is sufficient for building the plant (25328 m2, 8861 m2 and 8586 m2).Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited by the availability of data.Practical implicationsThe research is invaluable for decision makers involved in urban planning.Social implicationsWastewater treatment plants are essential for communities with limited resources such as Jordan. It has also profound impacts on the surrounding environment.Originality/valueFrom the present study, it can be concluded that GIS is essential in urban utility establishment, like urban domestic wastewater treatment site selection. Although the study area has adequate potential areas for establishing WWTP, further assessment of flood vulnerability, wastewater amount quantification, population growth and urban expansion must be seriously considered before implementation.

Assessing Flood Vulnerability from Rapid Urban Growth: A Case of Central Java — Indonesia

Urban growth, in many Asian cities, may lead to increased exposure to flood and growing sensitivity mainly because of the presence of informal settlements. On the other hand, urban areas may offer better access to public facilities, improving adaptive capacity and enhancing the local government’s capabilities. This study aims to investigate to what extent urban growth exacerbates flood vulnerability in Central Java. Concurrently, floods are the most frequent disaster in the area. The approach used in the vulnerability assessment involves socioeconomic conditions (population density, the number of impoverished families, public facilities) associated with three main aspects (exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity), resulting in the Exposure and Sensitivity Index and the Adaptive Capacity Index. Scoring and weighting analysis using secondary data in a sub-district unit from the Central Bureau of Statistics are applied. The result shows that urban growth contributes to the escalation of hazards and vulnerability. On the other hand, a high population also increases the number of public facilities and affects adaptive capacity in certain areas. Indeed, strategic urban development policies are critical to manage the three elements that form the flood vulnerability.