GIS-based flood susceptibility mapping using bivariate statistical model in Swat River Basin, Eastern Hindukush region, Pakistan

Frequent flooding can greatly jeopardize local people’s lives, properties, agriculture, economy, etc. The Swat River Basin (SRB), in the eastern Hindukush region of Pakistan, is a major flood-prone basin with long history devastating floods and substantial socioeconomic physical damages. Here we produced flood susceptibility map SRB, using frequency ratio (FR) bivariate statistical model. A database was created that comprised inventory as dependent variable causative factors (slope, elevation, curvature, drainage density, topographic wetness index, stream power land use cover, normalized difference vegetation rainfall) independent variables association between them were quantified. Data collected remote sensing sources, field surveys, available literature, all studied resampled to 30 m resolution spatially distributed. results show about 26% areas are very high highly susceptible flooding, 19% moderate, whereas 55% low SRB. Overall, southern SRB compared their northern counterparts, while slope, curvature vital susceptibility. Our model’s success prediction rates 91.6% 90.3%, respectively, based on ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve. findings this study will lead better management control risk region. study’s assist decision-makers make appropriate sustainable strategies for mitigation future damage