How Different Countries Prevent Floods

Created By RISC | 5 months ago

Last modified date : 5 months ago

The earth entered La Niña in May bringing rainfall and a greater risk of flooding. Floods cause both direct and indirect harm. They damage buildings, homes, transport routes, public utilities, and agricultural and cattle industries. They indirectly impact the economy, safety, and mental health.​

Each country around the world has a distinct approach to coping with flooding. Today, let’s look at how other countries manage and cope with floods. ​

​Geo-informatics technology is now used by city management organizations all over the world to help with area planning and management to lessen the impact and damage caused by flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the United States has established the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, a spatial data source that displays flood maps, flood risk maps, and flood insurance rates to support the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and serve as a guideline for relevant people to effectively mitigate impact. ​

Singapore employs geographic information technology in flood management, such as a water level measurement system using sensors and CCTV cameras. The system displays real-time events on a warning map when water rises. The system shows flood risk levels and analyzes spatial data to identify flood risk points. A rainfall monitoring and forecasting system predicts rain using radar.​

Bangkok uses geographic information technology too. Weather radar data reveals the movement and intensity of rain clouds through remote sensing. Radio waves penetrate raindrops to assist in flood prevention and solutions. The public can also track the movement of rain clouds on the website of the Department of Drainage and Sewerage, Bangkok https://weather.bangkok.go.th/radar/. ​
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Bangkok has also created a digital database to detect safety and danger regions (Bangkok Danger Map), which is used in risk management in Bangkok. This website allows us to view flood-risk zones as well as previously flooded areas. https://cpudapp.bangkok.go.th/riskbkk/index.html

In addition, the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization), or GISTDA, has created a decision support system for disaster area management, as well as a spatial data service system for floods, forest fires, and drought. The technology will display Thailand's current general position to estimate future degree of damage and threats. We can all monitor the situation on the website https://disaster.gistda.or.th/#4.87/13.16/101.49. ​

​Every day, more rain falls. If you are interested in dealing with floods on your own, review the material available on these public sources to ensure its reliability and benefits for preparing to reduce flood damage. ​

Story by: Sirapach Mangkang, Geographic Information System (GIS) specialist, RISC ​

References: ​
https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home ​
https://www.pub.gov.sg/Public/KeyInitiatives/Flood-Management ​
https://pr-bangkok.com/?p=258971 ​
https://weather.bangkok.go.th/radar/ ​
https://disaster.gistda.or.th/#4.87/13.16/101.49 ​
https://gistda.or.th/news_view.php?n_id=2883&lang=TH ​