Floods are the most common natural hazards with the largest impacts on society. Although exceptionally devastating floods distort the trend, flood impact records show that the number of related fatalities is gradually decreasing thanks to, among others, better early warning systems; however, damages to land and property appear to be increasing due to insufficient prevention, economic growth and a lack of flood-sensitive land use planning.
The Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) promotes an Integrated Flood Management approach to minimize related loss of life and impacts on livelihoods through protective measures while maximizing the net benefits derived from the efficient use of floodplains.