Flood risk web-mapping for decision makers: A service proposal based on satellite-derived precipitation analysis and geonode

This paper presents a methodology aimed at enabling local government personnel and decision makers to easily process satellite-derived precipitation data for the assessment of extreme precipitation hazard and to integrate them with geospatial reference datasets for the production of timely and meaningful flood risk information, considering also the assessment of exposed infrastructure, population or assets. The methodology relies on the use of the Malawi Spatial Data Platform (MASDAP), a GeoNode web platform for the management and publication of geospatial data, developed in the framework of the Shire River Basin Management Program (SRBMP). The proposed work-flow has been illustrated during a capacity building training held in Blantyre (Malawi) in December 2015 and constitutes a standardizable decision support approach, particularly useful for countries where meteo-hydrological observations are scarce or have a too coarse resolution.