Coastal flooding is one of the most dangerous and damaging natural hazards that societies face, and coastal development and climate change are causing a dramatic rise in vulnerability. Since the 19th century, estuary channels have typically been deepened and widened by a factor of two or three, harbor entrances have been deepened and streamlined, and a large proportion of wetlands have been filled over and replaced with neighborhoods. Such geomorphic changes increase flood risk by reducing natural resistance to storm surge and tides.
Floods are one of the most frequently occurring weather related disasters, which affected more than 2.3 billion people worldwide and caused the highest amount of financial losses ($662 billion) over the last two decades (CRED and UNISDR, 2015). Flash floods have rapid onset which provides only few hours between rainfall and flooding and hence short time for warning which leads to the majority of flood casualties around the world. Flash floods are usually very localized in time and space, they occur suddenly and are difficult to forecast with accuracy which can leave people without warning.