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Flood risks assessment in small urbanized cathments (Master thesis)

Βιτώρη, Δήμητρα-Θεοπούλα/ Vitori, Dimitra-Theopoula

In this post graduate thesis the phenomenon of floods and especially the flash floods due to intense rain storms in small and medium sized water catchments is examined. These catchments are extremely vulnerable to short duration high- intensity storms. This phenomenon takes place more frequently in the last decades affecting large areas around streams and rivers costing infrastructure loss and lives. This is due to intensive buildup of the lowlands of the catchments, where they obstruct, block and limit the once free flood zones to small artificial open channels or conduits. The case of Agia Pelagia settlement where such a catastrophic event took place recently is the subject of further study here. Hydrological and hydraulic calculations were carried out in order to access the causes and the impact of this event, especially in regard to existing flood preventing infrastructure and measures proposed to elevate resilience and the sustainability of the natural and built area of Agia Pelagia Settlement. In addition both the risk and the vulnerability of the study area were estimated.