A novel hybrid <scp>GIS</scp> ‐based multi‐criteria decision‐making approach for flood susceptibility analysis in large ungauged watersheds

Characterizing and identification of flood-susceptible areas can be a solution to mitigate the damages fatality rate. This study proposes novel hybrid MCDM framework assess flood susceptibility in large ungauged watersheds dealing with data scarcity issues. The proposed method examines interdependencies causal relationships between various criteria affecting flooding procedure using DEcision-MAking Trial Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL). Moreover, since experts' opinions contain uncertainty, fuzzy logic is integrated DEMATEL overcome this shortcoming. Then, local weights were estimated Best–Worst Method (BWM) enhance pairwise comparisons process. Final obtained Fuzzy BWM results Analytical Network Process (ANP) super-matrix. Finally, distributed spatially Complex Proportional Assessment Alternatives (COPRAS) based on weights. was compared different approaches such as Fuzzy-DEMATEL ANP, BWM, AHP several statistical measures. We concluded that outperformed other our results. by overlaying classified maps historical events locations, it 85.96% flooded “high” “very high.”