Understanding Flood Risk and Vulnerability of a Place: Estimating Prospective Loss and Damage Using the HAZUS Model

Abstract

In the field of flood management, risk and loss estimation is a prerequisite to undertake precautionary measures. Among several available tools, the HAZUS model is one of the most effective ones that can assist in the analysis of different dimensions of natural hazards, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and tsunamis. The flood hazard analysis portion of the model characterizes the spatial variation of flood regimes for a given study area. This research attempts to illustrate how the geoinformatics tool HAZUS can help in estimating overall risk and potential loss and damage due to floods and how this knowledge can guide the decision-making process and enhance community resilience. Examining a case study in the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews in Manitoba, Canada, this study found that both the ‘Quick Look’ and ‘Enhanced Quick Look’ analyses provided robust results. However, for the RM of St. Andrews, which is characterized by differing levels of exposure on the floodplain, and where many new housing starts occur in high-risk flood zones, ‘Enhanced Quick Look’ with spatially explicit building stock is recommended. The case study of the RM of St. Andrews demonstrates that the HAZUS model can predict loss and damage with increasing magnitude of flooding depth. It is thus recognized that the risk and loss estimation tools can be effective means for future flood loss and damage reduction.