Event-Based Geospatial Assessment of Flood Inundation and Relative Risk in an Urban Watershed: Evidence from Istanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
Flooding represents one of the most significant global natural hazards, with severe consequences for urban areas. Recent technological advancements and the development of geospatial models have enabled the creation of effective solutions for urban flooding and land use planning in flood-affected cities. The present study employs remote sensing and GIS-based spatial analysis techniques to provide an event-based assessment of flood inundation, exposure, and relative flood risk within the administratively defined urban area of Başakşehir District, Istanbul, Türkiye. Rather than developing a physically based predictive hydrodynamic model, the study aims to identify the spatial distribution of observed flood impacts and their relationship with land use, population exposure, topography, and meteorological conditions. The Multi-temporal Sentinel 1 (SAR) dataset was utilised to extract flood pixels and prepare flood maps, with a pre-flood dataset representing 24.90 km2 of permanent waterbodies, which increased to 45.18 km2 during the flood. The LULC classification of the pre-flood area revealed that the majority of the study area was covered by a built-up area, primarily in the central and southern parts of the territory. During the flood, it was observed that 8.13 km² of built-up area and 15.80 km² of fallow land were inundated, constituting 60% of the total inundation area. The relative flood risk assessment revealed that Şamlar and the military zone were classified as very high-risk areas, while several central and eastern subdistricts were identified as high-risk areas. The findings of this study are of significant benefit to strategic town planning and disaster management, with the incorporation of further hydrometeorological models serving to enhance the accuracy of the results.
Keywords
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References
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Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Population Trends and Policies, Land Use and Environmental Planning, City and Regional Planning
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Tauseef Ahmad
This is me
0000-0003-0044-6347
India
Early Pub Date
June 19, 2026
Publication Date
-
Submission Date
April 18, 2026
Acceptance Date
May 11, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication