Disclaimer: This content is for example purposes only, created during the G20 DRR Hackathon by Team MapleByte. A full disclaimer is provided in the footer.
Risk identification is the foundation of flood management policy. Governments must identify which neighborhoods, infrastructure assets, and economic zones are most at risk from floods. Without this, interventions risk being unfocused or inequitable.
This requires integrating data from historical flood records, satellite imagery, hydrological modeling, and on-the-ground surveys. Special attention must be paid to informal settlements, where vulnerability is often greatest but data is weakest.
How to Put This Into Practice
Develop and maintain flood risk maps at multiple scales (regional, municipal, community).
Combine geospatial data with socioeconomic indicators to assess vulnerability.
Update risk maps regularly as climate and land-use patterns evolve.
Share findings with both policymakers and local communities.
Example
The city of Cape Town, South Africa, combined satellite-based flood mapping with socioeconomic data to identify informal settlements most vulnerable to stormwater flooding. This informed targeted infrastructure upgrades and relocation programs.