Showcase: Flood Hazard Index (1)

Just over a year ago, the eastern parts of South Africa experienced the most catastrophic flood yet recorded. Apart from the many lives lost, damage to property was unprecedented and this had a significant effect on the insurance industry.

In an attempt to assist insurers to manage their risks, Geosmart developed a flood hazard index (FHI) that combines machine learning, geospatial analyses, and our 2m resolution digital elevation model of South Africa.

The biggest advantage of using machine learning for flood hazard modelling is that it can be applied to anywhere in South Africa at minimal cost. And, the model’s accuracy improves over time as more floods occur.

In the featured example, this map of central Durban shows areas with high flood hazard in dark blue. Read more about what Earth Observation and GIS analytics can do.