Forecasting floods with machine learning methods

Abstract: The current paper investigates the possibility of flood risk prediction with machine learning methods. Global warming due to climate change contributes to the increase in the frequency of flooding events, which are a significant consequence of the climate crisis. Floods are caused by a combination of natural factors (such as heavy rainfall and geomorphology) and human activities, with urbanization being the most significant among them. Their impacts extend to many sectors, such as the economy, the environment, infrastructure, and public health. The current study aims to develop a reliable flood risk prediction system using machine learning techniques. The analysis is based on meteorological, hydrological, geographical, socio-economic and historical flood data from regions of India. Early flood forecasting can contribute substantially to taking preventive measures and mitigating their impacts.