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The Role of Global Datasets for Flood Risk Management at National Scales
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  • Mark V. Bernhofen,
  • Sarah Cooper,
  • Mark A. Trigg,
  • Anna Mdee,
  • Andrew Benedict Carr,
  • Ajay Gajanan Bhave,
  • Yady Tatiana Solano-Correa,
  • Edgar Leonairo Pencue-Fierro,
  • Ermias Teferi,
  • Alemseged Tamiru Haile,
  • Zulkifli Yusop,
  • Nor Eliza Alias,
  • Zulfaqar Sa'adi,
  • Muhamad Anwar Bin Ramzan,
  • C T Dhanya,
  • Prabhakar Shukla
Mark V. Bernhofen
University of Leeds

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Sarah Cooper
University of Leeds
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Mark A. Trigg
University of Leeds
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Anna Mdee
University of Leeds
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Andrew Benedict Carr
University of Leeds
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Ajay Gajanan Bhave
University of Newcastle
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Yady Tatiana Solano-Correa
University of Cauca
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Edgar Leonairo Pencue-Fierro
University of Cauca
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Ermias Teferi
Water and Land Resource Center
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Alemseged Tamiru Haile
International Water Management Institute
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Zulkifli Yusop
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
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Nor Eliza Alias
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
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Zulfaqar Sa'adi
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
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Muhamad Anwar Bin Ramzan
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
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C T Dhanya
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
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Prabhakar Shukla
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
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Abstract

Over the last two decades, several datasets have been developed to assess flood risk at the global scale. In recent years, some of these datasets have become detailed enough to be informative at national scales. The use of these datasets nationally could have enormous benefits in areas lacking existing flood risk information and allow better flood management decisions and disaster response. In this study, we evaluate the usefulness of global data for assessing flood risk in five countries: Colombia, England, Ethiopia, India, and Malaysia. National flood risk assessments are carried out for each of the five countries using global datasets and methodologies. We also conduct interviews with key water experts in each country to explore what capacity there is to use these global datasets nationally. To assess national flood risk, we use 6 datasets of global flood hazard, 7 datasets of global population, and 3 different methods for calculating vulnerability that have been used in previous global studies of flood risk. We find that the datasets differ substantially at the national level, and this is reflected in the national flood risk estimates. While some global datasets could be of significant value for national flood risk management, others are either not detailed enough, or too outdated to be relevant at this scale. For the relevant global datasets to be used most effectively for national flood risk management, a country needs a functioning, institutional framework with capability to support their use and implementation.