Methods for the Evaluation of Intangible Flood Losses and Their Integration in Flood Risk Analysis

Abstract

Coastal flooding is one of the devastating natural disasters occurred in the recent past and it is expected to further increase due to the effects of sea level rise and storm surges associated with climate change. Losses from these floods are generally categorized as tangible and intangible depending on whether or not the losses can be easily assessed in monetary values. Compared to tangible losses, relatively few research studies exist where intangible losses are assessed and incorporated into flood risk analysis due to the lack of appropriate evaluation and integration methodologies. In this research study, all the intangible losses are assessed in nonmonetary measures using different approaches which were either adopted from literature or newly developed. Furthermore, an attempt was taken to assess the intangible losses in monetary values. The integration of tangible economic losses with the intangible losses measured in nonmonetary values was carried out within the framework of a multi-criteria analysis (MCA). Moreover, the intangible losses in monetary measures are integrated adopting the concept of cost-benefit analysis. The paper presents the results of the evaluation of intangible losses and their integration with tangible economic losses for the exemplary study carried out in the two XtremRisK pilot sites, Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg, and Sylt Island in Germany.

XtremRisK — Integrated Flood Risk Analysis for Extreme Storm Surges at Open Coasts and in Estuaries: Methodology, Key Results and Lessons Learned

“…1 and Oumeraci, 2004] for the two pilot sites by considering the selected storm surge scenarios determined in SP1 for present (2010) and future climate conditions (2100). For this purpose, however, a proper methodology for the assessment of intangible losses (social, cultural and environmental losses), their GIS-based spatial modeling and their integration with the economic losses obtained from SP3 into integrated risk maps is required [Dassanayake and Oumeraci, 2010;Burzel et al, 2012]. Therefore, a consistent GIS-approach (cellbased risk assessment (CRA)) for the spatial modeling of risk needs to be developed [Burzel et al, 2012.…”

“…The results of a comprehensive state of the art report [Dassanayake and Oumeraci, 2010] have revealed the gaps in the methodologies available (i) to assess the social losses (loss of life/injuries and cultural losses) and environmental losses induced by floods and (ii) to integrate them with the tangible losses in a risk analysis. Moreover, the results have particularly contributed to identify the lack of appropriate methodologies for the evaluation of both cultural and environmental losses as well as for their integration with other losses in risk analysis.…”

“…For the determination of criterion values and weights within MCA [reasons for MCA are provided in Dassanayake et al, 2015], a structured procedure should be developed to also include the opinions of experts and of the concerned people within the flood prone areas. The latter are also particularly important to obtain the relative importance of the different loss categories.…”

XtremRisK — Today's and Future Coastal Flood Risks Under Extreme Events

“…From these simulations, they estimated both the direct and indirect economic consequences where especially the latter is an important contribution and shows the large variability of indirect economic consequences as compared to direct ones. In addition, Dassanayake et al [2015] looked into intangible consequences from floods (loss of life, injuries, cultural losses, environmental losses) and implemented their systematic approaches into the two pilot sites. These results were then integrated in a mapping environment using a geographical information system and maps were plotted for the two pilot sites.…”

Comparative Risk Assessment at Isla Del Carmen and Cancun, Mexico

“…The consequences on the receptor are evaluated in terms of losses, according to the classification proposed by Dassanayake et al 2010 (Fig. 3).…”