Vulnerability assessment using remote sensing: The earthquake prone megacity Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract

Hazards like earthquakes are natural, disasters are not. Disasters result from the impact of a hazard on a vulnerable system or society at a specific location. The framework of vulnerability aims at a holistic concept taking physical, environmental, socio-economic and political components into account. This paper focuses on the capabilities of remote sensing to contribute up-to-date spatial information to the physical dimension of vulnerability for the complex urban system of the megacity Istanbul, Turkey. An urban land cover classification based on high resolution satellite data establishes the basis to analyse the spatial distribution of different types of buildings, the carrying capacity of the street network or the identification of open spaces. In addition, a DEM (Digital Elevation Model) enables a localization of potential landslide areas. A methodology to combine these attributes related to the physical dimension of vulnerability is presented. In this process an n-dimensional coordinate system plots the variables describing vulnerability against each other. This enables identification of the degree of vulnerability and the vulnerability-determining factors for a specific location. This assessment of vulnerability provides a broad spatial information basis for decision-makers to develop mitigation strategies.