Synergistic Approach of Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques for Flash-Flood Monitoring and Damage Assessment in Thessaly Plain Area, Greece

Abstract

This paper describes the synergetic use of earth observation satellites optical and radar data with a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) to detect flooded areas and explore the impacts of a flood event. A flash flood episode took place in May 2016, in the central-eastern part of West Thessaly (Central Greece). Landsat-7 ETM+ and a Sentinel-1 SAR images were acquired. For Landsat-7, several water indices were applied and for the Sentinel-1 a threshold method was implemented. Elevation data were also used to improve the delineation of the inundated areas, and to estimate flood water depth. Furthermore, Sentinel-2 images were utilized so as to record the land use/cover of the flooded area. The inundated areas and the affected cultivations were delineated with high precision, and the financial effects were evaluated.