An Integrated Urban Flood Vulnerability Index for Sustainable Planning in Arid Zones of Developing Countries

Floods are among the most recurring and devastating natural hazards, impacting human lives and causing severe economic damage. Urbanization can increase the risk of flooding due to increased peak discharge and volume. Over arid urban areas of developing countries, flood disaster management is reactive, responding to prevailing disaster situations, mainly because of the lack of budget, equipment, facilities, and human resources. The approach required in a new city requires a different operative planning process, ruled by different kinds of specific indicators to be incorporated in the sustainable planning process. This study focuses on an approach to assess flood vulnerability as a planning tool using an integrated flood vulnerability index (FVI) with variables that are accessible in developing countries and arid urban areas. The research took place in the city of Mexicali, Baja, California. México. This index was determined by coupling the variables of three components: social, economic, and physical. The FVI reflects the status of an urban scale’s vulnerability. Variables were obtained from government data for the social and economic components, and a hydrological and hydraulic model approach as a physical component. The correlation of each variable to the flood was taken into account by using a general linear transformation. GIS was used as a tool for the development of spatial analysis. The results showed the spatial distribution of vulnerability at an urban district scale. It was found that 55% of the population is exposed to a vulnerability above the average value of the urban area. Integrating all the components will help decision-makers to implement strategies to improve the resilience of the area by attending the needs of the particular component that is more vulnerable.

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Analysis of applicability of flood vulnerability index in Pre-Saharan region, a pilot study to assess flood in Southern Morocco

10.5194/nhess-2016-96 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. Karmaoui ◽

S. F. Balica ◽

M. Messouli

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Social Economic ◽

Regional Climate ◽

Regional Climate Change ◽

Vulnerability Index ◽

Catchment Scale ◽

Flood Vulnerability ◽

The Status ◽

Numerical Index ◽

Flood Vulnerability Index

Abstract. Abstract. Moroccan Pre-Saharan zone is an oasis system, which it is characterised by extreme events, like drought and flood. The flood risks will likely increases in frequency and magnitude due to global and regional climate change. Flood tends to have an important impact on isolated and poor regions such as oasis regions. This paper aims the analysis of applicability of Flood Vulnerability Index (FVI) in pre-Saharan region of Morocco. The FVI, it is a numerical index that reflects the status of a region's flood vulnerability. It was determined for four components social, economic, physical, and environmental. These components can help to assist to propose strategies for improvement of the holistic system. For this study five sub-catchments were selected: Upper Draa Valley (UDV), Middle Draa Valley (MDV), Tata sub-catchment, Guelmim sub-catchment and Tafilalt sub-catchment; and five urban areas, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Tata, Guelmim and Errachidia. A comparative analysis of the results from thus areas allows us to assess the applicability of the FVI. The overall FVI for these areas was determined by the calculating and standardisation of 36 indicators for each sub-catchment scale and 34 for each urban scale.

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"Catastrophic Risk Assessment, Using Integrated Multi-Criteria Flood Vulnerability Index for Various Spatial and Temporal Mining Scales : A Case Study of Kosi Flood Affected Five Districts"

SAMRIDDHI A Journal of Physical Sciences Engineering and Technology ◽

10.18090/samriddhi.v6i2.1565 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Prince Divakar Saxena ◽

Sanjay Pande

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

River Basin ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Vulnerability Index ◽

Flood Vulnerability ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽

Decision Making Processes ◽

Main Components ◽

Flood Vulnerability Index

Human population worldwide is vulnerable to natural disasters, which are increasing due to the consequences of socio-economical and land-use developments and due to climate change. In recent years the impacts of floods have gained importance because of the increasing amount of people who are affected by its adverse effects. In this study a methodology to compute a flood vulnerability index, based on indicators, is developed, aiming at assessing the conditions which favour flood damages at various levels: river basin, sub-catchment and urban area. This methodology can be used as a tool for decision making to direct investments at the most needed sectors. Its implementation could guide policy makers to analyse actions towards better dealing with floods. The methodology involves two concepts. First, vulnerability, which covers three related concepts called factors of vulnerability: exposure, susceptibility and resilience. The other concept concerns the actual flooding; understanding which elements of a system is suffering from this natural disaster. Three main components of a system are recognized which are affected by flooding: social, economical and environmental The interaction between the vulnerability factors and the components serves as the base of the proposed methodology. The methodology has been applied in various case studies spatial and temporal scales, which resulted in interesting observations on how vulnerability can be reflected by quantifiable indicators. The testing results indicate that the FVI of a river basin as a whole can be better reflected by the average FVI of its sub-catchments, thereby improving decision-making processes at regional levels. However, the average FVI of urban areas does not reflect the FVI of the sub-catchment or river basin in which they are located.

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Sustainable Planning of a New City in Mozambique

Brazilian Journal of Operations & Production Management ◽

10.14488/bjopm.2018.v15.n2.a9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 270-284

Author(s):

Pedro Bettencourt Coutinho

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Urban Planning ◽

Urban Development ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Social Impact ◽

Planning Process ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Assessment Process ◽

Sustainable Planning ◽

New City

Careful Land and Urban planning is of extreme importance in developing countries with fast growing population like Mozambique. Environmental Strategic Assessment (SEA) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) are management instruments to early predict urban development potential impacts and risks, contributing to support the shaping of sustainable planning, and avoiding the social and environmental havoc of inadequate development. The objective of this paper is to present the contribution of SEA and ESIA in the planning process of a new major city in southern Mozambique, in Katembe district, facing Mozambique’s capital Maputo.The Katembe City’s environmental and social assessment process highlighted the environmental, socioeconomics and cultural particularities of this territory and identified the critical constraints for urban development. A preliminary assessment avoided major negative potential impacts, but required specific environmental and social detailed studies to be addressed in the new city’s partial urban plans. When these studies were completed the new urban detailed plans included all the necessary environmental requirements to avoid/mitigate flooding, coastal erosion, and biodiversity loss and habitat fragmentation. It is expected that this experience will encourage the wider application of sustainable urban planning in shaping new urban areas in Mozambique and other fast developing countries.

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