Flash flood hazard prediction of Shalatin City, Red Sea Coast, Egypt utilizing HEC-RAS model

Abstract

In terms of flood hazards, Shalatin is the least studied of the six major coastal cities in Egypt's Red Sea Governorate. The current study intends to determine the extent to which Shalatin city is exposed to flood hazard in an attempt to address this research gap. Urban flood modeling proved to be the most effective method. All the layers required for modeling were created in ArcGIS software at the greatest possible resolution using remote sensing products and data obtained during the field investigation. Three potential flood events were modeled as one-dimensional unsteady flow using the most recent version (6.0) of the HEC-RAS programme. To quantify the extent of flooding and water depth, as well as the water velocity and flood hazard, three types of maps were created. In comparison to other cities along Egypt's Red Sea coast, the data reveal that Shalatin appears to be less prone to floods. To safeguard the most susceptible areas, two earthen dykes, each around 2000 metres long, are recommended. The current study is the first to tackle the simulation of an Egyptian city's urban flood at a resolution of up to a single building.