About
Floods have played a prominent role of the human experience since the start of the agricultural revolution when the first permanent settlements were built along the riverbanks of Asia and Africa. Since these natural events are so rare but cover such a large area, people tend to lose track of which lands were flooded. Satellite-derived flood inundation maps produced in near-real time are invaluable to state or national agencies for disaster monitoring and relief efforts. Floods and standing water mapping is also necessary for detecting deficiencies in existing flood control and for managing damage claims afterwards.