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Causes and Reconstruction of Catastrophic Flash Flood Disasters: Investigation, Analysis, Modelling and Risk Management, 2nd Edition

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2025) | Viewed by 5421

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Prof. Dr. Xiekang Wang

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Guest Editor

State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Interests: flash flood disaster modeling; monitoring and mitigation; characteristics and laws of water-sediment transport; geomorphological changes in mountainous river
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Meihong Ma

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Geography, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China
Interests: flash flood; disaster risk assessment; hydrological model; machine learning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, catastrophic flash flood events have become more frequent and are gradually occurring more commonly in mountainous regions due to extreme climate change, resulting in devastating human deaths and economic losses. Notably, flash flood disasters induced by heavy rainfall are prevalent worldwide. Most studies have shown that the main impact factors include precipitation characteristics, underlying conditions, and anthropogenic activities. In order to better understand the causes of flash flood events and provide disaster control and mitigation methods for preserving human health and economic development in mountainous regions, this Special Issue hopes to collect novel and interesting research, including field investigations, theoretical analysis, and the numerical simulation of catastrophic flash flood events globally. Based on these historical disaster events, we can devise reliable flash flood risk management measures for widespread use in the future. Moreover, the study of flash floods involves numerous disciplines, such as meteorology, hydrology, soil and water conservation, and flow–sediment dynamics, all of which can be further developed. The mechanism underlying flash floods may be further elucidated and prove beneficial for improving the prevention of flash flood disasters in mountainous areas.

Therefore, we invite you to submit your work to this Special Issue on the causes and reconstruction of catastrophic flash flood disasters in the world. The potential contributions can, include but are not limited, to the following:

Catastrophic flash flood events in the world;
Precipitation estimation and forecasting in mountainous regions;
Changes in underlying conditions and their impacts on flash floods;
Influences of anthropogenic activities on flash floods;
Hydrological and hydro-meteorological modelling for flash flood disaster analysis;
Studies of soil erosion, water-sediment process, and mechanism of flash flood disasters;
Identification of areas prone to flash floods;
Risk management of flash floods.

Original submissions on the causes and reconstruction of catastrophic flash flood disasters, as well as the foundation of the flash flood disaster database at different spatial and temporal scales, are strongly encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Xiekang Wang
Dr. Meihong Ma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

catastrophic flash floods
climate changes
extreme precipitation
underlying conditions
human activities
hydrological and hydro-meteorological modelling
soil erosion
water-sediment process
mechanism of flash flood disaster
risk assessment and management

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 9057 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Assessment of Flood Susceptibility in the Abai Region, Kazakhstan

by Kudaibergen Kyrgyzbay, Talgat Usmanov, Janay Sagin, Baktybek Duisebek, Ranida Arystanova, Sholpan Kulbekova, Arman Utepov and Raushan Amanzholova

Water 2026, 18(7), 817; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18070817 - 30 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 643

Abstract

Floods are among the most frequent and destructive natural hazards in Kazakhstan, particularly in the Abai Region, Kazakhstan, where topographic, hydrological, and climatic factors strongly influence flood occurrence. This study presents a comprehensive spatial assessment of flood susceptibility in the Abai Region using a multi-criteria Geographic Information System (GIS) approach. The analysis integrates twelve flood-conditioning factors representing hydrological, topographic, environmental, and anthropogenic variables. The relative importance of these factors was determined using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results indicate that distance to rivers (20%) and precipitation (16%) are the most influential drivers of flood susceptibility, followed by Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND) (11%) and drainage density (9%). The resulting flood susceptibility map classifies the study area into five susceptibility levels. Approximately 56.6% of the study area falls within the moderate susceptibility class, while 25.0% is categorized as high susceptibility, mainly concentrated in low-lying floodplains and foothill regions. Low-susceptibility areas account for 18.1% of the region, whereas the very high and very low susceptibility classes together represent less than 1% of the territory. Model performance was evaluated using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, yielding an Area Under the Curve (ROC–AUC) value of 0.893, indicating strong agreement between predicted susceptibility patterns and observed flood occurrences. Additional validation metrics derived from the confusion matrix show an overall accuracy of 83.3%, precision of 0.75, recall of 1.0, and a Kappa coefficient of 0.67, confirming reliable predictive performance. Sensitivity analysis with ±10% variation in factor weights further demonstrated the spatial stability of the susceptibility results. The resulting susceptibility map provides an important spatial basis for infrastructure planning, flood mitigation, and disaster preparedness in the Abai Region and offers a transferable framework for flood-susceptibility assessment in other semi-arid regions of Central Asia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Causes and Reconstruction of Catastrophic Flash Flood Disasters: Investigation, Analysis, Modelling and Risk Management, 2nd Edition)

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20 pages, 4412 KB

Open AccessArticle

Incorporating IPCC RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 Precipitation Scenarios into Semi-Distributed Hydrological Modeling of the Upper Skawa Mountainous Catchment, Poland

by Paweł Gilewski, Arkadii Sochinskii and Magdalena Reizer

Water 2025, 17(21), 3128; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17213128 - 31 Oct 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 924

Abstract

Mountain catchments in Central Europe are highly susceptible to flash floods. To inform local adaptation, this study quantifies the future flood response of a Polish Carpathian catchment (Upper Skawa, 240.4 km²) to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios. A semi-distributed HEC-HMS model was calibrated and validated using observed flood events (2014–2019). Future hydrographs were then simulated using the delta change method for RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 (near- and long-term horizons). The validated model showed high predictive accuracy. Results indicate a consistent trend towards a polarized hydrological regime, with increased spring/autumn flood peaks and decreased summer flows. This trend is significantly amplified under the RCP8.5 scenario, with long-term peak flood increases approximately double those of RCP4.5. The catchment’s non-linear response further compounds these impacts. These findings suggest a future of heightened seasonal flood risk and emerging summer water scarcity, implying that existing infrastructure, designed for historical stationarity, may be insufficient. This study provides a quantitative evidence base for re-evaluating regional flood risk policies and developing integrated adaptation strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Causes and Reconstruction of Catastrophic Flash Flood Disasters: Investigation, Analysis, Modelling and Risk Management, 2nd Edition)

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37 pages, 11728 KB

Open AccessArticle

Damage Analysis of the Eifel Route Railroad Infrastructure After the Flash Flood Event in July 2021 in Western Germany

by Eva-Lotte Schriewer, Julian Hofmann, Stefanie Stenger-Wolf, Sonja Szymczak, Tobias Vaitl and Holger Schüttrumpf

Water 2025, 17(19), 2874; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192874 - 2 Oct 2025

Viewed by 1445

Abstract

Extreme rainfall events characterized by small catchments with high-velocity flows pose critical challenges to infrastructure resilience, particularly the rail infrastructure, due to its partial location near rivers and in mountainous regions, and the limited availability of alternative routes. This can lead to severe damages, often resulting in long-term route closures. To mitigate flash flood damage, detailed information about affected structures and damage processes is necessary. Therefore, this study presents a newly developed multi-criteria flash flood damage assessment framework for the rail infrastructure and a QGIS-based analysis of the most frequent damages. Applying the framework to Eifel route damages in Western Germany after the July 2021 flood disaster shows that nearly 45% of the damages affected the track superstructure, especially tracks and bedding. Additionally, power supply systems, sealing and drainage systems, as well as railway overpasses or bridges, were impacted. Approximately 30% of the railway section showed washout of ballast, gravel and soil. In addition, deposit of wood or stones occurred. Most damages were classified as minor (47%) or moderate (34%). Furthermore, damaged track sections were predominantly located within a 50 m distance to the Urft river, whereas undamaged track sections are often located at a greater distance to the Urft river. These findings indicate that the proposed framework is highly applicable to assess and classify damages. Critical elements and relations could be identified and can help to adapt standards and regulations, as well as to develop preventive measures in the next step. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Causes and Reconstruction of Catastrophic Flash Flood Disasters: Investigation, Analysis, Modelling and Risk Management, 2nd Edition)

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21 pages, 1716 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Comprehensive Evaluation Model of Risk in Flood Disaster Environments

by Yan Yu and Tianhua Zhou

Water 2025, 17(15), 2178; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152178 - 22 Jul 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1772

Abstract

Losses from floods and the wide range of impacts have been at the forefront of hazard-triggered disasters in China. Affected by large-scale human activities and the environmental evolution, China’s defense flood situation is undergoing significant changes. This paper constructs a comprehensive flood disaster risk assessment model through systematic analysis of four key factors—hazard (H), exposure (E), susceptibility/sensitivity (S), and disaster prevention capabilities (C)—and establishes an evaluation index system. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), we determined indicator weights and quantified flood risk via the following formula R = H × E × V × C. After we applied this model to 16 towns in coastal Zhejiang Province, the results reveal three distinct risk tiers: low (R < 0.04), medium (0.04 ≤ R ≤ 0.1), and high (R > 0.1). High-risk areas (e.g., Longxi and Shitang towns) are primarily constrained by natural hazards and socioeconomic vulnerability, while low-risk towns benefit from a robust disaster mitigation capacity. Risk typology analysis further classifies towns into natural, social–structural, capacity-driven, or mixed profiles, providing granular insights for targeted flood management. The spatial risk distribution offers a scientific basis for optimizing flood control planning and resource allocation in the district. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Causes and Reconstruction of Catastrophic Flash Flood Disasters: Investigation, Analysis, Modelling and Risk Management, 2nd Edition)

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