Remote Sensing and GIS for Flood Risk Analysis

Abstract

Advances in unlikely sensing technology and new satellite platforms such as ALOS sensors widened the practical application of satellite data. One of the many fields that these engineering science can be applied is to validate flood inundation models. For a long time flood degree from flood inundation models were validated using the terra firma truth surveys which was not very much reliable.Ministry of Disaster Administration was formed in 2006 and under its preview the Disaster Management Center (DMC) acts as the coordinating body of Disaster Release Managing (DRM) works in Sri Lanka. Since flooding is the most frequent unnatural        disaster DMC has been focusing its attention to Flood Hazard Mapping as one of the priority tasks to be accomplished. Those factors emphasis the importance of mitigating flood related disasters in Kalu-Ganga River. At present structural measures are not suitable in that task due to the question of sustainability of such measures. Most of the time non-structural measures like flood forecasting, proper early warnings and conducting awareness programs among the flood affected community etc., can be very effective. Modeling of watersheds with modern technology makes this easy. Practical application of GIS and unlikely sensing technology to map flood areas will make it easy to plan non structural measures which reduce the flood damages and risks involved.