‘HiFlo-DAT’: A flood hazard event-disaster database for the Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, Indian Himalaya

The HiFlo-DAT (Himalayan Flood Database) project focuses on building a detailed, open-access database of historical flood events in the Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh, India. Using English-language sources like newspapers and government reports, it catalogs 128 flood events from 1846 to 2020. The goal is to support disaster risk reduction (DRR) by improving methodologies for compiling and applying sub-national disaster loss data, especially for mountainous regions.

Analysis reveals an increase in flood frequency, particularly during the summer monsoon season (June–September), which accounts for 87% of events. Most floods are linked to heavy rainfall (55%) and have severely impacted roads, bridges, and migrant labor communities. Spatial data shows a few tributaries experiencing recurrent flooding. The study highlights the need to expand this approach to other Himalayan areas and promote multi-agency collaboration for better contemporary impact recording and data use in DRR planning.