Flood risk assessment and mapping: a case study of the Aksu River Basin (Giresun), Türkiye

Abstract

Flood is considered to be the most common natural disaster worldwide during the last
decades. Flood risk potential mapping is required for mitigation of flood, preventing,
management, and minimizing losses. The purpose of this study is to present flood risk
potentiality areas in the Aksu River Basin using Multi-Criteria Decision Making method and
Geographic Information Systems and risky structures were identified in basin. Within the
scope of this purpose, six criteria (slope, aspect, rainfall, land use, distance to river, and
geology) that will affect the flood risk were determined. As a result of the study, it was
determined that 0.64% of the basin is very high risk, 9.59% high risk, 50.54% moderate risk,
33.54% low risk, and 5.69% very low risk. Also, it was determined that there are 110 real
estate within the very high flood risk area and 1362 real estate within the high flood risk area.
Declaring areas with very high and high risk as "disaster-prone zones" in accordance with
Article 2 of Law No. 7269 dated 1959 and not allowing construction and should be relocated
to more suitable areas is crucial. The zoning plans should be updated accordingly.