Integrating Science for Flood Resilience: A Review About Multidisciplinary Perspectives and Computational Approaches to Early Warning Systems

Abstract

After 2004 Sumatra Tsunami, the disaster vulnerability of Kerala changed in significant proportions. The disasters like Ockhi, Floods and Landslides changed the preconceived notions about the disaster vulnerability of Kerala. Each disaster contributed towards expanding the horizon of research and development, leading to the installation of a tsunami warning centre and a cyclone warning centre in India with many regional disaster management centres. The state of Kerala is now engrossed in developing a flood monitoring, mapping and a warning system for the state. A pertinent constituent of a warning system is the numerical modelling component. Using numerical modelling we can generate pre-run scenarios of all possible flood emanating conditions, from which we can identify the estimated simulation pattern of inundation and run-up for issuing warnings to mitigate the impact of disaster. At this juncture, this investigation seeks to showcase the concepts associated with the dynamics of floods,its causes and types, as well as the concept of numerical modelling, various computational techniques, and the components of a flood warning system. This kind of understanding is very much essential for people who are sailing through the research trajectory of flood modelling and management. This investigation is initiated at this juncture.