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Jeddah is the most important port city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The climate of Jeddah is mostly dry; however, events of intensive rainfall followed by urban flooding have been reported in recent history. These floods interrupt the logistics and lifelines of the city. In this study runoff analysis and Flash Flood management by the green roof low impact development (LID) control system, was performed using United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Stormwater Management Model (SWMM). Six middle districts of Jeddah city had been selected and modeled in five sub-catchment areas. The local soil and geographic conditions were incorporated into the model. The effect of the soil-based, rooftop, LID system has been emphasized in the analysis. In flood simulations, 30–70% of the impervious area of each sub-catchment has been treated with LID. It has been observed that the LID application can significantly reduce the overall flood flow. Thus, simple but well-planned LID control systems can be effectively utilized for the flood management of heavily urbanized regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are a widespread and damaging natural phenomenon that causes harm to human lives, resources, property and has agricultural, eco-environmental, and economic impacts. Therefore, it is crucial to perform flood susceptibility mapping (FSM) to identify susceptible zones to mitigate and reduce damage. This study assessed the damage caused by the 2022 flash flood in Sindh and identified flood-susceptible zones based on the frequency ratio (FR) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) models. Flood inventory maps were generated, containing 150 flood sampling points, which were manually selected from Landsat imagery. The flood sampling points were split into 70 % for training and 30 % for validating the results. Furthermore, fourteen flood conditioning factors were considered in the analysis for developing FSM. The final FSM is categorized into five zones, representing levels from very low to very high. The results identified that the areas under very high flood-susceptible zones in Ghotki (FR 4.42 % and AHP 5.66 %), Dadu (FR 21.40 % and AHP 21.29 %), and Sanghar (FR 6.81 % and AHP 6.78 %). Ultimately, FSM accuracy was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics and area under the curve method, resulting in Ghotki (FR 82 %, AHP 83 %), Dadu (FR 91 %, AHP 90 %), and Sanghar (FR 96 %, AHP 95 %). This study enhances the scientific understanding of flash flood impacts across diverse regions and emphasizes the importance of accurate FSM for informed decision-making. The findings provide important informations and are supportive for policymakers, agricultural planners, and stakeholders engaged in flood risk management to mitigate the adverse consequences of flash floods. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flash floods are the highest sediment transporting agent, but are inaccessible for in-situ sampling and have rarely been analyzed by remote sensing technology. Laboratory and field experiments were done to develop linear spectral unmixing (LSU) remote sensing model and evaluate its performance in simulating the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in flash floods. The models were developed from continuous monitoring in the laboratory and the onsite spectral signature of river bed sediment deposits and flash floods in the Tekeze River and in its tributary, the Tsirare River. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the variability of correlations between reflectance and SSCs. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square of error (RMSE) were used to evaluate the performance of the generated models. The results found that the Pearson correlation coefficient between SSCs and reflectance varied based on the level of the SSCs, geological colors, and grain sizes. The performance of the LSU model and empirical remote sensing approaches were computed to be R2 = 0.92, and RMSE = ±0.76 g/l in the Tsirare River and R2 = 0.91, and RMSE = ±0.73 g/l in the Tekeze River and R2 = 0.81, RMSE = ±2.65 g/l in the Tsirare river and R2 = 0.76, RMSE = ±10.87 g/l in the Tekeze River, respectively. Hence, the LSU approach of remote sensing was found to be relatively accurate in monitoring and modeling the variability of SSCs that could be applied to the upper Tekeze River basin. • Sedimentation is one of the outermost challenge for water and energy. • Remote sensing is applicable for suspended sediment modelling in data scarce rivers. • Spectral un-mixing analysis improves remote sensing accuracy to model sediment loads. • Linear spectral un-mixing analysis is effective to model sediment load of flood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Geografia: Revista Colombiana de Geografía is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Flooding causes huge economic losses, yet the flood water is an important resource, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Because rivers flood annually, most flooding research has focused on river management. Researchers have largely ignored the resource potential of flash floods, as they are less predictable. Here, we describe an innovative project in which disaster management planners in a dryland community in northwestern China treated flash floods as a resource rather than as a threat, and helped the community to benefit from this resource. The project produced ecological benefits (combating desertification), social benefits (flood control), and economic benefits (harvesting water for future use) that improved the community’s adaptive capacity and facilitated sustainable development. This example should inspire risk managers to seek ways to transform natural disasters into resources, thereby improving hazard management and promoting community survival and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental Research, Engineering & Management / Aplinkos Tyrimai, Inžinerija ir Vadyba is the property of Institute of Environmental Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Even though flooding is one of the most destructive natural hazards in the Mediterranean, causing hundreds of deaths and economic losses and despite the significant efforts of civil protection authorities of all levels to protect human lives and assets, a critical piece of information, that is how the general population perceives flood risk, is not well known, especially in the Eastern part of the region. This work uses structured questionnaires to obtain basic information on how the population of one of the largest urban areas in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean understands flood risk, risk mitigation and to what degree they take protection measures, they trust relevant institutions and they are aware of flood warning and flood protection actions. Then, the study examines potential correlations of the findings with respondents’ demographics. Results show that respondents rank floods third in terms of importance behind earthquakes and forest fires that are important risk in the region, although the vast majority believes the risk is increasing, mostly due to anthropogenic factors. Responses illustrate low levels of trust in authorities and low levels of knowledge of protection actions and awareness regarding floods, as well as low levels of preparedness, in terms of taking private mitigation measures. Respondents’ characteristics such as age, gender, previous flood experience and marital status are show statistical correlation with responses, as individuals present different perception and levels of knowledge and preparedness. Overall, the findings illustrate the need for better education and awareness campaigns regarding flood risk and mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korea repeatedly experiences flash floods and droughts that cause traumatic environmental conditions with huge economic impact. Recently due to climate change, the frequency and magnitude of natural disasters associated with extreme hydrologic events increased rapidly in Korea. Floods caused the greatest damage among all natural disasters. To prevent this damage it is important to inform people about ongoing and upcoming flash flood events to avoid the loss of life and property. In this study hardware and software based smart technology is used to develop an early flood warning system for Mushim stream watershed to send to end users early flood warning messages about potentially impacted areas. Hydrologic Engineering Center's Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) is the core of flood alert application provides the forecast with sufficient lead time and decides the threshold conditions of runoff/stage. Short range weather forecasts from Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) at every three hours interval, are stored in hydro-meteorological database and fed in HEC-HMS for identification of flood risks. Server-Client based program used to visualize the real time flood condition and to deliver the early warning message. The findings of this study are expected to be used as basic data required for designing of flood mitigation measures at Mushim stream watershed to cope with the flash flood events in future. The flood hazard maps thus developed will be useful to policy-makers and responsible authorities, as well as to local residents in finding suitable measures for reducing flood risk in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper had a primary task, namely “Proposal of a methodology for the process of preliminary assessment of flood risk – a methodological procedure for preliminary flood risk assessment from flash floods with respect to the need for its updating following from directive 2007/60/EC and its application in the conditions of a modelled territory”. The methods which are used in the contribution emerge from practical experience as well as from knowledge obtained from the available literature and consultations with experts dealing with the given problem in practice. The foundations of flood risk assessment are hypotheses on the impact of physiogeographical attributes of basins on the origin of floods. The conceptual framework for flood risk assessment of flash floods comes from the definition of a multidimensional conception of flood risk. The proposed methodology consists in the identification of critical points and contributing surfaces from the viewpoint of creation of a concentrated surface flow from flash floods and their adverse impacts on the built-up areas of a municipality. The primary goal of the assessment of risk of contributing surfaces was determining the riskiness of the locality with an ordinal degree (i.e., low, moderate, and high) and providing a foundation for a second stage, called controlling risk. The resulting risk of contributing surfaces is determined as a combination of danger and vulnerability according to a set matrix. Processing and analysis of the input data as well as visualization of the achieved results is carried out in the GIS environment (ArcGIS 9.3, 10) in integration with a spreadsheet of Microsoft Excel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on disaster risk reduction primarily centers on the research streams of vulnerability and resilience. The concept of adaptive capacity is central to both streams of study and has profound implications for disaster risk reduction. Drawing insights from both streams, we examined the adaptive capacity of wetland communities with regards to flash flood disasters. Focusing on societal dimensions, we investigated how the interplay of institutions, community power structures, and human agency shape adaptive capacity of wetland communities. We employed the “dominant-less dominant” research methodological framework, and followed a 4-tier study design: i) a household survey, ii) a semi-structured questionnaire survey, iii) oral history interviews, and iv) key informant interviews. Our findings revealed that wetland communities in the region are highly vulnerable to flash flood hazards. Local community members were conditioned, chiefly by the asymmetrical social power structure, to feel helpless in the face of natural disasters. Their reactive recovery measures have resulted in maladaptation and in their becoming passive towards risk mitigation for future floods. However, transformative patterns were also observed in a large proportion of the population, wherein community members modified or changed their behavior to achieve longer-term sustainability and risk mitigation. We concluded that in designing development interventions to enhance adaptive capacity, consideration must be given to the diverse range of skills and educational development among the local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic modelling makes possible the identification of floodplain areas for flash floods with discharge of different return periods. High resolution DEMs allow river bed geometry identification, while prior hydrologic modeling results can serve as input data for the hydraulic model. Once the river bed and floodplain roughness coefficient are set, the floodplains can be delineated on the base of MIKE11 model. For the present study the authors have used three gauged small rivers situated in the Zărandului Mountains (Romania). The article shows the procedure to calculate the maximum discharges for high probability exceedance at the entrance and exit of seven villages and to draw the corresponding floodplains, for the benefit of population's protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather events affect surface water supplies. Water quality measurements in Central Arizona were used to quantify changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and turbidity following dust storms, floods, and drought-associated wildfires. This article describes specific extreme events, quantifies changes in DOC and turbidity, and discusses the effects of water quality changes on treatment processes and public perceptions of water quality. Study findings show a co-occurrence of some dust storm events (high particulate matter) and increased surface water turbidity, attenuation of high DOC loads following upper watershed storm events, significant increases in total organic carbon and turbidity following severe flooding in 2005, and differing effects of upland and lowland wildfires on water quality. Finally, a means to mitigate these effects on both perceived and actual water quality by integrating information from radar systems, stream gauge readings, and online water quality analyzers is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to quantify the hydrological parameters for the flash flood event of 17th January 2010 in Sinai using multiple sets of remote sensing data and field work for the nongaged catchments (approximately 2100 sq km) of the wadis affecting Ras Sudr area, which is heavily occupied by numerous oil fields and related activities. The affected areas were visited, and several cross sections of the main active channels were surveyed to estimate the peak discharge rates. The Tropical Rainfall Monitoring Mission (TRMM) data have been used to estimate rainfall parameters for the catchments due to the absence of in situ data. The digital elevation model (DEM) of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) was used to extract the hydrographic data following standard procedures and techniques of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Both of the surveyed and extracted parameters for the active channels were integrated into GIS to estimate the runoff parameters using the open-channel flow equation of Manning’s. The simulated hydrographs show that the total discharge exceeded 5.7 million cubic meters and the peak discharge rate was 70 cubic meters per second. The mitigation of extreme flash flood is possible by altering the natural flow dispersion over the alluvial fan, and conveying the resulting flows into one adjusted channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of deaths due to flash floods in China has increased sharply in recent decades. Therefore, a quantitative assessment of loss of life at the potentially affected areas is highly recommendable, which can improve the strategies of disaster risk mitigation and reduction. Numerous papers published to date have focused on human vulnerability to river floods but seldom to flash floods because of the lack of data on loss of life or flood intensity matched with loss of life. This research aims at reconstructing the July 2016 flash flood event by combining hydro-hydraulic models with post-flood surveys to obtain the data of flood intensity and then developing human vulnerability curves for flash floods through statistical functions. The hydrological model HEC-HMS was used to obtain the hydrograph of the July 2016 flash flood, which was evaluated using the flow data obtained from references. Subsequently, the hydraulic model FLO-2D was used to reconstruct the July 2016 flash flood event to obtain the flood characteristics (e.g., water depth, flow velocity, depth-velocity product, and impact force). The evaluation of FLO-2D was carried out using post-flood surveys defining maximum flooded extent and flood depths. Then, statistical functions were used to fit the relationship between the flood characteristics and mortality calculated through post-flood surveys. The results show that the simulated peak discharge (548 m3/s) of the July 2016 flash flood for Taitou catchment was close to the estimated peak discharge (540 m3/s) by the existing literature. Likewise, the FLO-2D model showed a good performance in reconstructing the flash flood event (FitA = 80.89%, RMSE = 0.21, NSE = 0.89), indicating that the flood characteristics outputting from FLO-2D model can be able to develop the human vulnerability curves for flash floods. Furthermore, four different human vulnerability curves for flash floods were developed, which are all power functions of water depth, flow velocity, depth-velocity product, and impact force, respectively. The mortality caused by flash floods increased with all four flood characteristics; the growth rate of the velocity curve was the fastest. However, the fitting effect of the velocity curve was the poorest (R2 = 0.87, SSE = 0.155, RMSE = 0.18), while that of the water depth curve was the best (R2 = 0.97, SSE = 0.003, RMSE = 0.03). Our findings provide a quantitative way to quickly assess loss of life due to flash floods, which is more likely to have a good performance in arid and semi-humid regions of northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Floods, droughts, heat waves, and storms have always been part of human lives because they are a normal part of climate variability. However, the observed trends and projected changes in global climate have the potential to alter patterns of these climatic hazards and extreme weather events. Extreme precipitation is one of the factors that contribute to flash floods, but it is the characteristics of the environment, individuals, and society that can turn these natural phenomena into life-threatening disasters. Past decades of disaster risk research and assessments have lead to many innovative approaches to integrating data across disciplinary domains. Recent advancements in integration of meteorological information with other environmental and social data, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), allow for integrated spatial assessments of societal vulnerability to weather-related hazards. A case study presented in this article builds on the substantial body of previous and ongoing research that is focused on developing improved methods for characterizing and quantifying vulnerabilities to weather hazards, in general, and extreme precipitation events, in particular. Integrating social science into meteorological research and practice has been a key interdisciplinary direction in the meteorological community. Therefore, with specific attention to integrating spatially explicit information on weather and society, this article focuses on interactions between meteorological and social characteristics of an extreme precipitation event that resulted in a flash flood disaster in Fort Collins, Colorado. Using the data from 1997 Fort Collins, Colorado extreme precipitation event, this study constructs a straightforward methodology for integrating meteorological data with readily available societal information into a GIS-based analysis of vulnerable people and places. With the goal of developing specific, targeted interventions and flash flood preparedness and emergency response actions, the analysis of societal vulnerability presented in this paper is specifically focused on the factors affecting population''s response and coping capacities to an extreme precipitation event. Challenges associated with data limitations and integration of meteorological and societal data, with diverse units and scales, into a standardized relative vulnerability measure are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aiming to provide accurate and efficient solutions to complex flood waves induced by dam breaks and flash floods, this work introduces a structured adaptive grid based model that solves the 2D shallow water equations using a first-order finite volume Godunov-type scheme. The computational grids dynamically evolves according to the local topographic features, moving wet-dry interfaces and other flow features involving sharp surface gradients. The model is validated against two dam-break benchmark tests with experimental data. The effect of the order of numerical accuracy on the numerical results is also assessed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main objective of this work is to identify and evaluate the potential impacts produced by climate and land-use changes in six European test-bed basins (Llobregat, Guadalhorce, Gardon d’Anduze, Linth, Verzasca and Sambuco). Data to build future scenarios that can modify the different basins’ flash flood and debris flow risk level has been analyzed in this paper. High resolution climate scenarios have been obtained from several European projects and/or National initiatives, depending on each case. Climatic variables have been widely analyzed, with a special focus on extreme precipitation. Typical generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions have been fitted to observed and projected rainfall data to assess impacts in the frequency distributions of extreme rainfall up to 2100. Regarding climate, the main conclusion is the importance of using data at the maximum spatial and temporal resolution applying downscaling methodologies adapted to basin scale (test-bed areas ranging from approx 200 to 5000km2) and oriented to obtain extreme rainfall values. In general, high variability has been detected, obtaining very different results for the different models and scenarios. Data corrections may lead to better representations of present situations and, therefore, more reliable future projections, but currently some of them are not suitable for extreme precipitation assessment. Regarding land-use changes, a cellular automata-based model has been used (MOLAND) to simulate the 2000–2040 period taking the CORINE land-use dataset as input data. Llobregat, Guadalhorce and Gardon d’Anduze basins have been identified as potentially interesting for simulating urban land-use dynamics due to the existence of important urban areas within their limits. The assessment of the rural land-use changes has been carried out using the results from the EURURALIS project (2000–2030 period), available for all the basins. The results of this paper are framed in the FP7 project IMPRINTS that has the aim of analyzing impacts of future changes to provide guidelines for mitigation and adaptation measures and, in general, to improve the application of the EC Flood Risk Management Directive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the mountainous area of the Red Sea region in southeastern Egypt, the development of new mining activities or/and domestic infrastructures require reliable and accurate information about natural hazards particularly flash flood. This paper presents the assessment of flash flood hazards in the Abu Dabbab drainage basin. Remotely sensed data were used to delineate the alluvial active channels, which were integrated with morphometric parameters extracted from digital elevation models (DEM) into geographical information systems (GIS) to construct a hydrological model that provides estimates about the amount of surface runoff as well as the magnitude of flash floods. The peak discharge is randomly varied at different cross-sections along the main channel. Under consistent 10mm rainfall event, the selected cross-section in middle of the main channel is prone to maximum water depth at 80cm, which decreases to nearly 30cm at the outlet due to transmission loss. The estimation of spatial variability of flow parameters within the catchment at different confluences of the constituting sub-catchments can be considered and used in planning for engineering foundations and linear infrastructures with the least flash flood hazard. Such information would, indeed, help decision makers and planning to minimize such hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the risk of disaster linked to major flash floods requires multi-scale preparedness measures. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction encourages the involvement of vulnerable people as technical measures are often insufficient to decrease the risk of disaster. Yet local authorities often struggle to motivate people to prepare, even in cases where the risk of disaster is well known. To address this issue, this article explores how the responsibility for preparedness is shared among stakeholders. We analyze the preparedness process in the flash-flood-prone Richelieu neighborhood of Nîmes, a city in the south of France. This neighborhood was devastated by a major flood in 1988 and several times by minor floods. We use a mixed-method approach based on a quantitative analysis of a questionnaire administered throughout the city of Nîmes and a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with local stakeholders more specifically in the Richelieu neighborhood. We explore the major obstacles to individual willingness to prepare and highlight multiple forms of marginalization that impede individual willingness despite the recent disasters and the well-known vulnerability of the neighborhood. We argue that there is an inconsistency between a centralized top-down DRR approach and the appeal from city authorities for individual preparedness. We argue that the way responsibility for preparedness is shared has to be transformed through a holistic approach in order to encourage individual willingness to prepare for flash floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Flash floods are characterized by their suddenness, fast and violent movement, rarity, small scale but high level of damage. They are particularly difficult to forecast accurately and there is little lead time for warning. This makes motorists especially vulnerable. Assuming that these flash flood hazard specificities may be the significant factors leading to difficulties for drivers to perceive danger, we used cognitive mapping combined with GIS data processing to assess motorists’ flash flood risk perception on their daily itineraries. The analysis of 200 mental maps collected allows planners to have maps highlighting dangerous areas where risk perception is weak and to identify reasons for this. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Floods are one of nature's most destructive disasters because of the immense damage to land, buildings, and human fatalities. It is difficult to forecast the areas that are vulnerable to flash flooding due to the dynamic and complex nature of the flash floods. Therefore, earlier identification of flash flood susceptible sites can be performed using advanced machine learning models for managing flood disasters. In this study, we applied and assessed two new hybrid ensemble models, namely Dagging and Random Subspace (RS) coupled with Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) which are the other three state-of-the-art machine learning models for modelling flood susceptibility maps at the Teesta River basin, the northern region of Bangladesh. The application of these models includes twelve flood influencing factors with 413 current and former flooding points, which were transferred in a GIS environment. The information gain ratio, the multicollinearity diagnostics tests were employed to determine the association between the occurrences and flood influential factors. For the validation and the comparison of these models, for the ability to predict the statistical appraisal measures such as Freidman, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and t-paired tests and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC) were employed. The value of the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of ROC was above 0.80 for all models. For flood susceptibility modelling, the Dagging model performs superior, followed by RF, the ANN, the SVM, and the RS, then the several benchmark models. The approach and solution-oriented outcomes outlined in this paper will assist state and local authorities as well as policy makers in reducing flood-related threats and will also assist in the implementation of effective mitigation strategies to mitigate future damage. [Display omitted] • Ensemble machine learning algorithms were applied for flood susceptibility modelling. • 14%-20% areas to the total study area were predicted as high flood susceptibility zones. • Dagging model appeared as best model (AUC-0.871 and 0.873 for training and testing data). • Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for comparing the flood susceptible models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The torrential hydrographic network poses peculiar problems in terms of action planning. Flash floods are formed with intake leak on the slopes of the basin takes violent forms of expression along the river network, particularly in the areas of training and floating transportation. Prevent these destructive processes on the river cannot be reached except through hydrotechnical works, especially when it comes to preventing and combating the process of warping the accumulation lakes, as is the case of the Somes Valley. For the hydrotechnical works is necessary a continuous and systematic follow-up because these, due to land and torrential special conditions in which are located, are themselves subjected to destructive processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research quantifies and compares the material damage caused by flooding resulting from the two most extreme rainfall events of the 21st century in two Portuguese regions, using insurance data: the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA) and Madeira Island. During the 2000–2011 period, 24% of the claims and 40% of the payouts in the LMA were caused by the February 2008 event. In Madeira, the February 2010 event represented 50% of the claims and 88% of the payouts. The maximum rainfall values during the 2010 event more than doubling those recorded during the 2008 event. The steep slopes of the Madeira's drainage basins exacerbate the potential for flooding to cause damage. Peak discharges are higher and occur earlier than in the LMA's basins. Flash floods are the most important type of flooding in Madeira, unlike what occurs in the LMA, where urban flooding is most prevailent. The greater destructive capacity of flash floods, the higher magnitude of the triggering rainfall during the 2010 event and the higher flooding susceptibility of the Madeira's drainage basins justify the greatest material damage. The lower education levels and economic power of the Madeira's population may affect the capacity to purchase insurance and can explain the lower number of insurance policies, contributing for a higher vulnerability to flooding. The obtained results represent an important knowledge regarding flooding in Portugal for spatial planning, risk management and insurance companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]