Flooding in East and Central Europe

A so-called Vb weather condition with extensive amounts of rain has been causing high water and flooding in parts of Europe since 12 September 2024. Austria, the Czech Republic and southern Poland are the countries most affected by the rainfall.

Mapping and Data

The ZKI supports the work of authorities and humanitarian aid organisations with various satellite data analyses as part of research projects. To derive the water surfaces, flood masks were derived over a large area from Sentinel-1 images using automated flood processors at DLR (see raster files for download below), calculated to the best of our knowledge and belief and within a very short time frame with the available material. Addtionally, maps of selected areas of interest are provided.

Satellite Data

Various satellite data were used to derive the water surfaces. Large-scale flood masks were derived from Sentinel-1 images using automated flood processors at DLR (raster files available for download below), calculated to the best of our knowledge and within a very short time frame with the available material.

For more detailed analyses, high-resolution satellite data, such as Umbra radar data and optical data, was also provided by European Space Imaging as part of the IFAS project. Flood areas were also derived from this for individual hot spots.