Climate Resilience: Tackling flood risks in South Sudan
- South Sudan ranks 7th globally for population exposure to river floods, facing severe challenges in preparedness and management.
- The project used Earth Observation (EO) data to analyse rainfall patterns, map flood hazards and provide actionable insights for decision-makers.
- With EO technology and strategic planning, South Sudan is strengthening its flood response and adapting to an uncertain climatic future.
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
- South Sudan ranks 7th globally for population exposure to river floods, facing severe challenges in preparedness and management.
- The project used Earth Observation (EO) data to analyse rainfall patterns, map flood hazards and provide actionable insights for decision-makers.
- With EO technology and strategic planning, South Sudan is strengthening its flood response and adapting to an uncertain climatic future.
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
Between 1970 and 2019, 82% of climate-related deaths occurred in developing countries, with South Sudan among the most vulnerable. Recurrent floods have displaced communities, destroyed habitats and inflicted economic losses. Political instability, limited financial resources, and a lack of monitoring infrastructure complicate flood management.
To address these challenges, ESA’s GDA Climate Resilience thematic activity, in partnership with GMV and the World Bank, introduced EO-based solutions.
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
Between 1970 and 2019, 82% of climate-related deaths occurred in developing countries, with South Sudan among the most vulnerable. Recurrent floods have displaced communities, destroyed habitats and inflicted economic losses. Political instability, limited financial resources, and a lack of monitoring infrastructure complicate flood management.
To address these challenges, ESA’s GDA Climate Resilience thematic activity, in partnership with GMV and the World Bank, introduced EO-based solutions.
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
Using Sentinel-1, VIIRS and global datasets, GMV’s team mapped flood extent, frequency and duration, as well as exposure analysis, for selected target areas. The results revealed flood hotspots, affected populations and critical infrastructure risks. Telespazio analysed precipitation trends in the country, as well as neighbouring countries that drain towards South Sudan. This analysis helped South Sudan to obtain evidence of an increase of precipitation outside their national boundaries. A key finding: rainfall over Lake Victoria directly influences flooding in South Sudan, strengthening regional water management cooperation.
“EO services are vital for a country grappling with fragility, conflict and floods,” says Alex Chunet, Earth Observation Applications Specialist. “We’re strengthening national capacities and integrating EO into World Bank-financed operations to improve flood management and resilience.”
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
Using Sentinel-1, VIIRS and global datasets, GMV’s team mapped flood extent, frequency and duration, as well as exposure analysis, for selected target areas. The results revealed flood hotspots, affected populations and critical infrastructure risks. Telespazio analysed precipitation trends in the country, as well as neighbouring countries that drain towards South Sudan. This analysis helped South Sudan to obtain evidence of an increase of precipitation outside their national boundaries. A key finding: rainfall over Lake Victoria directly influences flooding in South Sudan, strengthening regional water management cooperation.
“EO services are vital for a country grappling with fragility, conflict and floods,” says Alex Chunet, Earth Observation Applications Specialist. “We’re strengthening national capacities and integrating EO into World Bank-financed operations to improve flood management and resilience.”
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
Building on GDA’s success, the World Bank is expanding EO applications to enhance South Sudan’s flood and drought preparedness. Additional funding from the GFDRR and CREWS funds supports a GMV-led initiative integrating EO data into a comprehensive visualisation tool, refining hazard maps and improving water management strategies. Several workshops were held, focussing on EO and other geospatial datasets for water resources management, to ensure lasting impact of the activities
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
Building on GDA’s success, the World Bank is expanding EO applications to enhance South Sudan’s flood and drought preparedness. Additional funding from the GFDRR and CREWS funds supports a GMV-led initiative integrating EO data into a comprehensive visualisation tool, refining hazard maps and improving water management strategies. Several workshops were held, focussing on EO and other geospatial datasets for water resources management, to ensure lasting impact of the activities
Location
South Sudan
Institutions
EO impact key takeaways
- Improved flood preparedness: EO-driven insights complemented local knowledge, which relied on traditional flood estimates, by offering up-to-date information across a broader geographical extent.
- Stronger regional collaboration: Linking rainfall trends to flooding encouraged cross-border cooperation.
- Enhanced decision-making: A national flood hazard map supports more innovative investments and resource allocation.
- Sustained EO adoption: Capacity-building ensures long-term resilience and flood risk management.
By taking advantage of EO technology, South Sudan is transforming its approach to flood management - building resilience today for a more secure tomorrow.
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