Flood vulnerability assessment in the Jamuna river floodplain using multi-criteria decision analysis: A case study in Jamalpur district, Bangladesh

Abstract

Flood is one of the most common hazards in many countries, affecting both life and properties. The recent climatic changes have brought a rise in both flood frequency and intensity making this phenomenon more devastating to people. Especially, the riparian communities of Jamalpur along the Jamuna river suffer at least once every year accounting for this natural hazard. In a scenario like this, precaution is a crucial task to fight against this natural phenomenon. Therefore, this study attempts to identify the flood vulnerable zones of Jamalpur district situating beside Jamuna river with a multi-criteria analysis. Assessment of flood vulnerability included consideration of physical indicators like rainfall, drainage density, distance from river, slope, land use land cover, elevation, soil classes as well as social indicators like population density, female density, literacy rate, number of shelters, unmetalled road and number of health personnel. All these parameters were analyzed in Geographic Information System (GIS) and assigned weightage with a multi-criteria decision-making technique namely- Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Finally, a flood vulnerability map was generated for the seven Upazilas of Jamalpur district. Very high, high, moderate and low vulnerable zones were identified after overlaying all physical and social indicator maps under consideration. 45.96% portion of a total of 2115.2 sq. Km. Area was under very high and highly vulnerable zones in the final vulnerability map of Jamalpur. Such type of assessment process is significant for flood mitigation projects with a view to providing the greatest concern to the most vulnerable zones. The vulnerability maps can also help the policymakers to provide emergency aids and other privileges to those who are in most need of it.

Keywords

• Flood
• Vulnerability
• Climate change
• GIS
• AHP