Special issue  

The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a methodology to estimate surface water flood damages from heavy precipitation in the Mediterranean region of study. The relationship between precipitation and insurance data has been assessed, using logistic regression models, to assess the probability of large monetary damages in relation to heavy precipitation events. Results show that our model is able to simulate the probability of a damaging event as a function of precipitation.

The paper discusses the seismological aspects of the 6–24 February 2017 Ayvacık (Çanakkale) earthquake swarm, describes the classifications of buildings in the area and elaborates on the performance of various building types during the earthquakes, and evaluates the damage distributions according to villages, damage ratios, structures and damage levels.

This paper presents an integrated approach to assessing floods and droughts in the transboundary Mékrou River basin, West Africa, combining climatic trends analysis and a household survey. The multi-variable trend analysis estimates, at the biophysical level, the climate variability and the occurrence of floods and droughts. These results are coupled with household survey data that reveal the opinions of local residents, the observed climate variability, and the costs of floods and droughts.

This study tests the potential for developing empirical drought impact functions based on hydro-meteorological drought indicators as predictors and text-based reports on drought impacts as a surrogate variable for drought damage. We showcase three data-driven modeling approaches and assess the effect of impact report quantification method.

This study focuses on the determination of seismic behavior and safety of specific bridges under seismic conditions. One of the nine intensity measures is selected considering practicality, efficiency, and proficiency. Component and system fragility curves are derived considering serviceability limits and component capacity. The results show that serves velocity limits has important effects on fragility curves of bridges and truss piers elements are the most vulnerable elements in the system.

Crop yields are routinely derived from meteorological variables, especially temperature. However, the primary water source for plant growth (soil moisture) is neglected. In this study, the predictability of maize yield is investigated using soil moisture or meteorological variables in Germany. The effects of soil moisture dominate those of temperature and are time-dependent. For example, comparatively moist soil conditions in June reduce crop yields, while in August they increase yields.

To quantify the relevance of surface water floods in Switzerland, we introduce and analyze an exhaustive set of insurance flood damage claims. First, we present a method to classify such claims and then we analyze the classified data with respect to space and time. The results reveal that just as fluvial floods are responsible for vast damage in Switzerland, so too are surface water floods. Accordingly, surface water floods should receive similar attention like fluvial floods.

Flood damage models are an important component of cost–benefit analyses for flood protection measures. Currently flood damage models predict the flood damage often only based on water depth. Recently, some progress has been made in also including other variables for this prediction. Data-intensive approaches (machine learning) have been applied to do this. In practice the required data for this are rare. We apply these new approaches on a new type of dataset (combination of different sources).

The flash flood in Braunsbach, Germany, in May 2016 was a severe and rather unfamiliar event which caused high monetary losses and heavy damage to buildings. Between 7 and 8 June we investigated all affected houses and conducted damage assessment to gain insights into the damage driving factors of those events. We conclude that the damage driving factors are complex and also differ partly from those of riverine floods, pointing out the need for further research.

This paper was the first to assess and analyze the ripple effects of indirect economic loss and spatial heterogeneity of both direct and indirect economic loss caused by a hypothetical earthquake, with the same magnitude as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, in the disaster-hit area of Beijing at the scale of the smallest administrative divisions in China (streets, villages, and towns). The results will help the government better allocate rescue funds to the regions that may suffer serious damage.