GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Approach for Flood Vulnerability Assessment and Mapping in District Shangla: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Floods are considered one of the world’s most overwhelming hydro meteorological disasters, which cause tremendous environmental and socioeconomic damages in a developing country such as Pakistan. In this study, we use a Geographic information system (GIS)-based multi-criteria approach to access detailed flood vulnerability in the District Shangla by incorporating the physical, socioeconomic vulnerabilities, and coping capacity. In the first step, 21 essential criteria were chosen under three vulnerability components. To support the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the used criteria were transformed, weighted, and standardized into spatial thematic layers. Then a weighted overlay technique was used to build an individual map of vulnerability components. Finally, the integrated vulnerability map has been generated from the individual maps and spatial dimensions of vulnerability levels have been identified successfully. The results demonstrated that 25% of the western-middle area to the northern part of the study area comprises high to very high vulnerability because of the proximity to waterways, high precipitation, elevation, and other socioeconomic factors. Although, by integrating the coping capacity, the western-central and northern parts of the study area comprising from high to very high vulnerability. The coping capacities of the central and eastern areas are higher as compared to the northern and southern parts of the study area because of the numerous flood shelters and health complexes. A qualitative approach from the field validated the results of this study. This study’s outcomes would help disaster managers, decision makers, and local administration to quantify the spatial vulnerability of flood and establish successful mitigation plans and strategies for flood risk assessment in the study area.