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1 Introduction
The impact of hydro-meteorological hazards has increased in the recent decades (1991-2009) world wide. Out of the total number of people killed due to natural disasters, more than 45 percent of them are killed due to hydro-meteorological disasters ([5] EM-DAT, 2009). Similarly, out of the total number of people affected due to natural disasters, more than 95 percent of them are affected due to hydro-meteorological events. In terms of economic damage, more than 75 percent of damage is due to hydro-meteorological disasters. It is critical to note that Asia is the most affected region from hydro-meteorological disasters. The number of people affected and the amount of damage occurred is higher than biological and geophysical disasters ([20] Jha et al. , 2010).
It has been established that the impact of hydro-meteorological disasters is much worse in urban areas. Events in the past decade have highlighted the various vulnerabilities of urban areas to climate-related hazards. The flash flood of December 1999 in North Venezuela killed 30,000 people mostly in the Caracas metropolitan area. Similarly, the tropical storm of 1999 in Texas flooded 20,000 homes including the Texas medical center and recorded damages of over $1 billion. In 1999, the tropical rainfall and high winds in France affected the Orly airport and subway commuter services ([19] Sherbinin, et al. , 2007).
The urban centers in developing countries are often characterized with development without provision of basic infrastructure, poor transport network, densely populated and informal settlements on hazard prone and low lying areas ([13] Mitchell, 1993; [9] Kamanga et al. , 2003). A large section of population often acquires land and builds homes outside the official system of land-use and control and building standards. This further creates hazard risks because these standards are meant for reducing physical vulnerability ([9] Kamanga et al. , 2003).
The urban centers in developing countries are facing rapid urbanization. In 1970, around 50 percent of the total population dwells in urban areas. In 2020, it is predicted that 80 percent of them will be residing in urban areas ([18] Srinivas et al. , 2009). The rapid growth of population in urban centers often results in a corresponding growth of informal settlements. These settlements create pressure on basic services leading to city...