Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Framework for Identifying Multi-Hazard Risk Hotspots in the Coastal Plains of South India
摘要
This study considers a multi-criteria decision-making framework for identifying multi-hazard risk hotspots at the micro-administrative level in the coastal plain region of Tamil Nadu. All key risk elements such as hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and lack of coping capacity have been considered in the chapter and have been measured on a relative scale. For a structured evaluation of risk factors, the key elements are segmented into six categories with 34 direct and indirect components: hazard (7 components), exposure (4 components), physical vulnerability (5 components), socio-economic vulnerability (5 components), capacity (4 components) and wealth (9 components). The weights and ranks of these components were assigned through the Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP). Further, the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was employed for integrating these components to identify multi-hazard risk hotspots in the concerned region. The study uncovers that 53% of the villages in the coastal plain are in the very-high-risk zone, with approximately 95% of very-high-risk villages located in the northern coastal plain, from Chennai to the Nagapattinam stretch. The framework proposed in the chapter identifies the hotspots of disaster risk, which could help prioritize the villages for risk mitigation, including structural and non-structural interventions, and develop strategies to enhance the resilience of vulnerable coastal regions. Further, the spatiotemporal transferability of the framework enables its applicability for any disaster-prone region for effective risk management and preparedness, which are essential to reduce the effect of natural hazards and attain sustainable development goals.