Determining tropical cyclone inland flooding loss on a large scale through a new flood peak ratio-based methodology

Jeffrey Czajkowski; Gabriele Villarini; Erwann Michel-Kerjan; James A Smith

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044056

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Determining tropical cyclone inland flooding loss on a large scale through a new flood peak ratio-based methodology

Journal article

Open access

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Determining tropical cyclone inland flooding loss on a large scale through a new flood peak ratio-based methodology

Jeffrey Czajkowski, Gabriele Villarini, Erwann Michel-Kerjan and James A Smith

Environmental research letters, Vol.8(4), pp.44056-7

12/2013

DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044056

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Abstract

In recent years, the United States has been severely affected by numerous tropical cyclones (TCs) which have caused massive damages. While media attention mainly focuses on coastal losses from storm surge, these TCs have inflicted significant devastation inland as well. Yet, little is known about the relationship between TC-related inland flooding and economic losses. Here we introduce a novel methodology that first successfully characterizes the spatial extent of inland flooding, and then quantifies its relationship with flood insurance claims. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 is used as illustration. We empirically demonstrate in a number of ways that our quantified inland flood magnitude produces a very good representation of the number of inland flood insurance claims experienced. These results highlight the new technological capabilities that can lead to a better risk assessment of inland TC flood. This new capacity will be of tremendous value to a number of public and private sector stakeholders dealing with disaster preparedness.

flood losses

flood magnitude

NFIP

spatial structure of regional flooding

TC inland flood

Details

Title: Subtitle: Determining tropical cyclone inland flooding loss on a large scale through a new flood peak ratio-based methodology
Creators: Jeffrey Czajkowski - University of Pennsylvania
Gabriele Villarini - University of Iowa
Erwann Michel-Kerjan - University of Pennsylvania
James A Smith - Princeton University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Environmental research letters, Vol.8(4), pp.44056-7
DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044056
ISSN: 1748-9326
eISSN: 1748-9326
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Number of pages: 7
Language: English
Date published: 12/2013
Academic Unit: Civil and Environmental Engineering; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984197061002771

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