Tittle of Research

Flood vulnerability assessment Mardan khaas, kalpani, District Mardan

Introduction
Flooding is a weather related phenomena that affect thousands of people around the globe. Flood is
considered as the most rapid onset type of Natural hazard in the history. From the past few decades
increased population, deforestation and urbanization is constituting to intensify climate change. Flood is
mainly due to heavy monsoon rainfall in the particular area. Floods are among the most devastating
natural hazards and cost many lives every year. To reduce the damage of floods, both structural measures,
such as the building of dams and dikes, and non-structural measures, such as forecasting and education,
are often employed. (Drogue et al.2004) postulated that the frequency of floods has been rising every
year. An increase in the frequency of floods resulted in loss of people’s lives[ CITATION Agn19 \l 1033 ]

A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. These events are the most
common and widespread natural severe weather. Flood can be determined by area of study in the
discipline of hydrology [ CITATION Ear \l 1033 ]

“Flood is a general term to describe the overflow of water from a stream channel into normally dry land
in the floodplain (riverine flooding), higher-than-normal levels along the coast and in lakes or reservoirs
(coastal flooding) as well as ponding of water at or near the point where the rain fell (flash
floods).”[ CITATION uns16 \l 1033 ]

Vulnerability as the diminished capacity of an individual or group to cope, resist and recover from the
impact of man-made hazard or natural hazard[ CITATION ifr \l 1033 ] . “the characteristics of a person or
group and the situation that influences their capacity to anticipate, cope, resist and recover from the
impact of a hazardous event”[CITATION DuY \l 1033 ]. Hazard vulnerability assessment has been studied,
hazard vulnerability assessment (HVA) is systematic approach which identify all the hazard which can
probably occur that may affect specific population or specific location. Assess the risk associated with
each hazard(e.g. the chances of hazard occurrence and the consequences for the population[ CITATION
Yan15 \l 1033 ]

Flood vulnerability is described as the weakness or the elements that increase the risk to be damaged by
flood can be identified as flood vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities might be physical, social, economic,
attitudinal or motivational that leads to be as functional elements during the flood. The area by which the
water is not unfiltered in the soil can also cause vulnerability factor to the community area[ CITATION
Agn191 \l 1033 ]
Pakistan is blessed with abundant natural resources. However, due to lack of expertise, unsustainable
utilization of resources, rapidly growing population, environmental degradation and weak weather
forecasting systems, a large proportion of the country is highly vulnerable to the impacts of flooding
disasters. Since its independence, Pakistan has experienced extensive consequences from floods with
widespread damages to life, property, economy and environment. The damages are not only related to
changing climate and intensity of floods, but are also due to the inequalities in place, the socioeconomic
conditions and the vulnerability of distinct social groups with same exposure and varying capabilities,
which affects their ability to resist, cope or recover from disaster. The consequences are the actual losses
from floods that are much greater. These results reveal a number of lessons and shortcomings that should
be addressed in the advancement of safer, more sustainable and resilient communities. The disaster
management authorities of Pakistan are trying to reduce risk and increase the capacities of vulnerable
communities. However, without an in-depth understanding of the differences in socio-economic
conditions and the factors driving vulnerability the most at local level, strategies to reduce disaster risks
are considered unlikely to succeed[ CITATION Abd20 \l 1033 ]. Therefore, this research will allow us to
assess the vulnerability of communities in district Mardan.

Normally in Kalpani flash flood occurs but in history most severe flood was in 2006, in which around
3000 houses were damaged on both side of river. Estimate runoff of flood in Kalpani is 954.9×106meters
cube. River is 70 kilometers approximately the main reason of Kalpani flood is due to Urbanization,
Deforestation, and Climate Change. It is said that when there is often heavy rainfall crossed Malakand
and Buner hills, so the water flow comes in torrents because of flat topography. In the year 2006, August
5 the heavy flash flood continued to its devastation in various parts of NWFP and tribal areas on
Saturday. Reports explained Mardan was the worst affected after a portion of a bridge over a flooded
Kalpani nullah collapsed at around 10:30am when dozens of people were standing on it. A large number
of people fell into the nullah and were swept away by floodwater, at least 70 people were killed – 50 of
them in one incident. Elsewhere in the province, and unspecified number of houses caved in and several
roads came under water. Kalpani River starts from mountain region of Dargai and Malakand region and
falls into river Kabul at Nowshehra through city center of Mardan. Major tributaries are Baghairi, Halkai,
Muqam River. Total catchment area is 2613 kilometer square.[ CITATION Muh12 \l 1033 ]
Problem statement:

Flooding in urban areas have resulted in remarkable loss of life, damage to infrastructure, agriculture and
economy. These damages occur due to structure and other specifications of buildings. During the last
decade much research has been conducted in study area on disaster mitigation (Ayesha Maqbool, Zain ul
Abideen Usmani, Farkhanda Afzal, Alia Razia, 2020), disaster risk management (Ashfaq Ahmad Shah Z.
G., 2020), disaster vulnerability and resilience (Ashfaq Ahmad Shah J. Y., 2018), (Blaschke, 2011). In the
above mentioned studies which focus on resilience, vulnerabilities and risk assessments, no research has
been conducted on flood vulnerability assessment in the study area.

The flood vulnerability assessment asses for reducing the damage of Flood in flood prone areas, it can
physical vulnerability, social vulnerability and economical vulnerability this is due to lack of information,
awareness, preventive measures and preparedness measures therefore, this study will identify and analyze
the different vulnerabilities and asses the ground realities

Objectives

 To study the perception of local community about flood hazard in kalpani basin.
 To assess physical vulnerability and exposure of the area to flood.
 To identify socio-economic vulnerability of study area.

Methodology

Nature and Procedure

The fundamental research of study will be qualitative and the nature of the study is exploratory.
According to (Boru, 2018) “Exploratory research is the process of investigating a problem that
has not been studied or thoroughly investigated in the past” [ CITATION For19 \l 1033 ], as the
researcher is exploring and measuring the vulnerabilities and risks components of the community which
can be measured quantitative and qualitative but the researcher wants to explore this in a very detailed
manner. Hence the qualitative methodology is more appropriate for exploring this topic.

Universe of the study

Locale of the study

The area under study at Union Council in district Mardan. According to the historical
profile of the study, community of area have already suffered, recovered and still vulnerable to flood
Nature of respondent

It includes community e.g people who were impacted by the flood and they are still living near the prone
area further more DRR professional would also be included who have worked on this social side. Key
informant interviews would be conducted from DRR professional whereas Focus group discussion will be
performed inside community.

Sampling method
Sampling size

In community 30 interviews will be conducted and Disaster Risk reduction professional 3-5 key
informative interviews will be conducted
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