Global Floods Detection System

The Global Flood Detection System monitors floods worldwide using near-real time satellite data. Surface water extent is observed using passive microwave remote sensing (AMSR2 and GPM sensors). When surface water increases significantly (anomalies with probability of less than 99.5%), the system flags it as a flood. Time series are calculated in more than 10000 monitoring areas, along with small scale flood maps and animations.

Full map view

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Floods

GFDS currently monitors around 10000 areas, defined in collaboration with partners. For these areas, the flood signal is further processed to generate time series, flood maps and flood animations. See a full list of current floods or search for areas by river, country or name.

All data are available as global raster maps. The brightness temperature measured by AMSR2 and GPM sensors is normalized into a water signal (showing the amount of surface water in each pixel). For each pixel, anomalies in surface water are calculated by comparing the values to the normal surface water (see methodology). The flood magnitude is defined as the number of standard deviations above the mean.

We’re open for collaboration with water authorities and researchers. You can request access to the data, download client software or set up your own monitoring sites.

Global Flood Detection System - Version 2