ELD and NELD Prioritization for Multi-Hazard Loss and Damage in Rural and Urban Areas of Uttarakhand’s Himalayan Districts

The Indian Himalayan region, distinguished by its ecological sensitivity and dynamic topography, suffers significant losses annually due to frequent natural disasters like landslides, earthquakes, and floods. Estimating loss and damage (L&D) is one of the most important tools for disaster risk management. It provides information on post-disaster recovery, resource allocation, redevelopment/rehabilitation project prioritization, and compensations to the affected communities. Calculating the impact of a disaster and developing long-term recovery plans for the Himalayan community specific to the region's unique urban and rural contexts require evaluating and prioritizing the indicators of economic loss and damage (ELD) and non-economic loss and damage (NELD). This study focuses on Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital districts of Uttarakhand, with a structured approach to identify, prioritize, and validate relevant indicators for multi-hazard loss and damage (MH L&D) calculation. Comprehensive datasets from the Uttarakhand Disaster Risk Atlas and government reports are used, including socioeconomic, environmental, infrastructure, and hazard-specific information for earthquakes, landslides, and floods. ELD and NELD indicators are processed and prioritized using a mixed statistical approach that includes principal component analysis (PCA) and the covariance matrix. This method's successful reduction of data dimensionality while maintaining important information made identifying high-priority indicators possible. To direct focused actions in the rural and urban settlements of the Himalayan region, these indicators were then rated. The HAZUS model—a standardized instrument for hazard loss estimation— guarantees the prioritized indicators' validation. Due to varying socioeconomic dynamics, exposure levels, and vulnerabilities, the study found notable differences in priority indicators across rural and urban locations. The findings underscore the importance of region-specific, hazard-sensitive prioritization frameworks for effective loss and damage assessment and disaster risk reduction (DRR). By highlighting the interplay between ELD and NELD indicators across multiple hazards, this study provides a valuable tool for policymakers, planners, and disaster management agencies to target investments in the required sector of the community for their rapid post-disaster long-term recovery. The validated indicators can serve as a baseline for future MH L&D assessments in similar geographies and Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP).