Title: A GIS-based framework for flood hazard vulnerability evaluation in Thudawa area, Sri Lanka

Authors: M.W.R. Nuwanka; W.K.N.C. Withanage

Addresses: Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Matara, 81000, Sri Lanka ' Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Matara, 81000, Sri Lanka

Abstract: The objectives of our research were identifying and classifying flood risk areas into different classes in Thudawa area, Sri Lanka, and developing a geographical information system (GIS) model to identify flood vulnerability areas accurately in Thudawa area. It was expected to propose preventive guidelines of flood hazard vulnerability using geo-informatics. The methodological procedure is extremely important in this type of research thus, the spatial multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) procedure was used. For this research, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used for the criterion weighting. AHP calculations run upon the results of experts' judgment as proposed by the Satty incorporating pair-wise comparison method. The results of this study attempt to analyse the existing flash flood risk levels using the GIS-based multi-criteria analysis technique which allowed ranking of risk areas since it is important in the decision-making process to mitigate the flood risk in the study area.

Keywords: analytical hierarchy process; AHP; flood hazard; geographical information system; GIS; spatial multi-criteria decision analysis; MCDA; modelling; Sri Lanka.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIDS.2024.136281

International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences, 2024 Vol.16 No.1, pp.90 - 108

Received: 23 Nov 2020
Accepted: 10 Jul 2021
Published online: 26 Jan 2024 *