Flood Disaster Mapping Using Geospatial Techniques: A Case Study of the 2022 Pakistan Floods

Abstract

Remote sensing images are an essential tool for mapping the amount of flood inundation after flood events. For early flood estimation, flood mapping is a crucial component. This study used an integration of geospatial techniques to evaluate the flood extent in District Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan. The modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) was utilized to estimate the flood extent using Landsat data. For a thorough flood investigation, pre-flood, during, and post-flood images were obtained. The analysis enabled us to delineate flood extent as well as flood duration. The result showed that the flood continued for nearly 5 weeks in the study area. This proposed geospatial technique provides a framework for the identification of inundated areas, which allows emergency responses to be focused on newly flooded areas. Hence, the current study offers a novel perspective on flood mapping and significantly contributes to flood monitoring.

Keywords

• flood mapping
• geospatial techniques
• Landsat data
• MNDWI
• emergency response