Flood-Risk Map for Büyükçekmece District Based on Socioeconomic Factors

Büyükçekmece District, located on Istanbul’s European side, faces flood risks due to climate change, uncontrolled urbanization, and inadequate stream rehabilitation. This study aims to develop a flood-risk map of the district and link it to socioeconomic factors for the purpose of developing improved flood-management strategies. Key factors such as slope, elevation, land use, proximity to rivers, and precipitation were weighted, using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to generate risk maps. The results indicate that 54% of Neighborhood 9 (Dizdariye) and 59% of Neighborhood 18 (Mimarsinan) fall into very high risk categories. Additionally, the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), calculated through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), revealed that Ahmediye and Kumburgaz neighborhoods exhibit the highest socioeconomic vulnerabilities, while Alkent 2000 and Sinanoba have the lowest. The research identifies the need to prioritize high-risk neighborhoods and integrate social vulnerability into flood management to reduce risk and enhance community resilience in Büyükçekmece District.