Modelling Coastal Vulnerability: Design and Evaluation of a Vulnerability Model for Tropical Storms and Floods

Modelling Coastal Vulnerability focuses on the vulnerability of societies in low lying coastal and deltaic environments to tropical cyclonic storms and floods. Models that explore vulnerability under various planned and unplanned conditions hardly exist. Within the Andhra Pradesh Cyclone Hazard Mitigation Project an Expert Decision Support System (EDSS) was designed and implemented linking coastal vulnerability to integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). This model development provided unique material and experiences for the research presented here. The interpretation and critical inquiry of the model has led to new knowledge on the design of such a model as well as on the use of its results in reducing vulnerability through planning.