No one is surprised by a flood

Floods represent a major hydrometeorological hazard from the point of view of the number of people affected. The first of the eight long-term ambitions on water aims at ensuring that no one on Earth is surprised by floods, as foreseen in the WMO Vision and Strategy on Hydrology.

Risk assessment, proper planning, and mitigation are the cornerstones of any National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (NMHS) measure to reduce flood risks. Timely forecasts and warnings must be produced at the regional, national, and local levels and be communicated through the appropriate authorities in a language that they understand. 

Current tools for flood prevention, mitigation, and forecasting must incorporate important complementary data and a thorough understanding of water management and the dynamics of land use. Data and products relevant for flood risk assessment and management are critical to achieving this ambition, which will rely on further integrating end-to-end early warning systems for flood forecasting, the Flash Flood Guidance Systems (FFGS) with global coverage and the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM).