A prototype tool for dynamic pluvial-flood emergency planning

Abstract

Due to the increased frequency of extreme rainfall events caused by climate change, flooding in urban areas is becoming increasingly recurrent. Nevertheless, mitigation and response actions to flood events are still defined according to the best judgments of civil protection authorities, based on their experience and on simple flood modelling tools. In this paper we present the methodological structure of an innovative prototype tool for dynamic pluvial-flood emergency planning. The tool is aimed at helping civil protection authorities (and the population) in the preparation, mitigation and response to flood events. The 2009 flood in the Agualva village (Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal), is used to exemplify the model's calibration and to illustrate the prototype capabilities. The results highlight the importance of considering a dynamic approach in the design of pluvial-flood emergency planning.

Keywords::

• pluvial-flood modelling
• emergency planning
• calibration models
• accessibility maps
• evacuation routes

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the American Air Base 4 commander who provided the meteorological data, Tenente Coronel António Cunha (president of the Azorean Civil Protection Agency, Serviço Regional da Proteção Civil) for the topographic data, Armando Mendes (editor of the local newspaper Diário Insular), the historian Olívio Rocha for providing invaluable documental information and the local residents of Agualva for their testimony.

Additional information

Funding

The first author acknowledges the support of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the project PEst-OE/EGE/UI4056/2014UDI/IPG.