District Flood Severity Index

Recent research by IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar has introduced the District Flood Severity Index (DFSI) for India. This index aims to provide a comprehensive measure of flood severity at the district level. It combines flood duration, area affected, deaths, injuries, and population to better assess flood impacts. The DFSI addresses gaps in existing flood data and supports improved flood management policies.

Need for a District-Level Flood Index

Flooding in India causes displacement, injuries, and deaths regularly. However, no standard data-based index existed to measure flood severity at the district scale. Districts are key administrative units for flood response. Hence, a district-level index helps target relief and prevention efforts more effectively. The DFSI fills this important gap.

Data Sources and Parameters

The index uses data collected annually since 1967 by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). It includes riverine floods and large inundations but often misses smaller events. DFSI incorporates five main factors – mean flood duration in days, percentage of district area flooded historically, total deaths, injuries, and district population. This multi-dimensional approach captures both flood magnitude and human impact.

Calculation and

The DFSI weighs flooding severity by combining the extent of flooding with population exposure and casualties. For example, a district with many floods but low population impact scores lower than one with fewer floods but higher casualties. This approach avoids misleading conclusions based solely on flood frequency. Patna ranks highest in DFSI, reflecting severe impacts in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Urban Flooding and Development Issues

Urban flooding is influenced by both heavy rainfall and poor urban planning. Cities like Thiruvananthapuram experience frequent floods partly due to unplanned development blocking natural drainage. While Thiruvananthapuram has the highest number of flood events, its DFSI rank is lower because of fewer casualties and smaller affected populations. Better urban water management can reduce such floods.

Limitations and Future Improvements

Current DFSI excludes agricultural flood impact due to lack of data. It also relies on available IMD datasets and district population figures. Researchers acknowledge the index can improve with finer data on flooded land types and socio-economic factors. The DFSI is a first-step tool to encourage more detailed flood data collection and targeted mitigation.

Significance for Flood Management

The DFSI offers a practical tool for policymakers to prioritise districts needing urgent flood relief and infrastructure investment. It marks the importance of considering human and spatial flood impacts together. Giving rivers room to move and improving urban drainage are key to reducing flood severity. The index supports data-driven, district-focused flood resilience planning.

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