GIS ANALYSIS OF THE VULNERABILITY OF FLASH FLOODS IN THE POREČKA RIVER BASIN (SERBIA)

The aim of this study is to identify and map the zones of different vulnerability to flash floods based on the geospatial analysis of natural conditions in the Porečka River basin (Republic of Serbia). The analysis covers the catchment area of the Porečka River (493.82 km2 ). Geospatial analysis was conducted using GIS software (QGIS 3.18). The Flash Flood Potential Index (FFPI) was used to determine the terrain's predisposition to flash floods, where the input data for determining the value of the index were the values of the following coefficients: the terrain slope, the type of geological substrate, the way of land use, and the bareness of the terrain.

The analysis determined that 50.43% of the total territory of the basin belongs to the class of high and very high susceptibility to flash floods, and when looking at the length of watercourses in the basin, that percentage is 81.94%. The results of this study clearly indicate the advantages of using modern GIS technologies in the land use and risk management. Geospatial analysis is of particular importance in the field of managing regions that stand out as particularly vulnerable to some natural disasters.