Development of a Flash Flood Confidence Index from Disaster Reports and Geophysical Susceptibility

Andrew Kruczkiewicz; Agathe Bucherie; Fernanda Ayala; Carolynne Hultquist; Humberto Vergara; Simon Mason; Juan Bazo; Alex de Sherbinin

doi:10.3390/rs13142764

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Development of a Flash Flood Confidence Index from Disaster Reports and Geophysical Susceptibility

Journal article

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Peer reviewed

Development of a Flash Flood Confidence Index from Disaster Reports and Geophysical Susceptibility

Andrew Kruczkiewicz, Agathe Bucherie, Fernanda Ayala, Carolynne Hultquist, Humberto Vergara, Simon Mason, Juan Bazo and Alex de Sherbinin

Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.13(14), p.2764

07/01/2021

DOI: 10.3390/rs13142764

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Abstract

The analysis of historical disaster events is a critical step towards understanding current risk levels and changes in disaster risk over time. Disaster databases are potentially useful tools for exploring trends, however, criteria for inclusion of events and for associated descriptive characteristics is not standardized. For example, some databases include only primary disaster types, such as 'flood', while others include subtypes, such as 'coastal flood' and 'flash flood'. Here we outline a method to identify candidate events for assignment of a specific disaster subtype-namely, 'flash floods'-from the corresponding primary disaster type-namely, 'flood'. Geophysical data, including variables derived from remote sensing, are integrated to develop an enhanced flash flood confidence index, consisting of both a flash flood confidence index based on text mining of disaster reports and a flash flood susceptibility index from remote sensing derived geophysical data. This method was applied to a historical flood event dataset covering Ecuador. Results indicate the potential value of disaggregating events labeled as a primary disaster type into events of a particular subtype. The outputs are potentially useful for disaster risk reduction and vulnerability assessment if appropriately evaluated for fitness of use.

Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Geology

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Imaging Science & Photographic Technology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Physical Sciences

Remote Sensing

Science & Technology

Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Development of a Flash Flood Confidence Index from Disaster Reports and Geophysical Susceptibility
Creators: Andrew Kruczkiewicz - Columbia University
Agathe Bucherie - Columbia University
Fernanda Ayala - Ecuadorian Red Cross CRE, Disaster Risk Dept, Quito 170403, Ecuador
Carolynne Hultquist - Earth Island Institute
Humberto Vergara - Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies
Simon Mason - Columbia University
Juan Bazo - Climate Centre
Alex de Sherbinin - Earth Island Institute
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland), Vol.13(14), p.2764
DOI: 10.3390/rs13142764
ISSN: 2072-4292
eISSN: 2072-4292
Publisher: Mdpi
Number of pages: 21
Grant note: 80NSSC18K0342; 80NSSC18K1693 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
Language: English
Date published: 07/01/2021
Academic Unit: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984446267802771

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