EU project helps protect vulnerable communities in Eastern Europe from flash floods

Climate change brings increased risks of torrential rain, landslides and flash floods — nowhere more so than in Slovakia’s Prešov self-governing region and the Małopolska region of Poland, home to a large number of impoverished Roma families. ‘These marginalised communities are very vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather because of poor housing conditions, low awareness of climate change and poverty,’ explains LIFE FLOPRES project advisor Claudia Guerrini. ‘This is a great example of LIFE working closely with local authorities to make a real difference to the lives of citizens.’ 

The 3-year, €3.2 million project — which has just passed the half-way mark — has already installed more than 270 flood warning smart sensor devices. ‘The system integrates internet-of-things technology, meteorological forecasting and hydrological modelling to provide real-time data and flash flood warnings,’ she adds. ‘The system uses data from water, soil and air sensors which act as elements of the Internet of Things (IoT), providing real-time information about current climate, water and soil moisture conditions. By combining data from IoT sensors they can more accurately predict possible floods.’ 

The project’s latest success saw 92 innovative measuring devices — 21 water level sensors and 71 rain gauges, air temperature sensors and soil moisture meters — installed in 3 municipalities of the Małopolska region of Poland. 176 intelligent sensors were previously fitted across 3 pilot river basins in the Prešov self-governing region of Slovakia.  

As the #WaterWiseEU campaign shows all too clearly, too much water is just as bad as not enough. Around 12% of Europe’s population live near rivers prone to flooding, with floods costing more than €170 billion and causing more than 5 500 deaths since 1980.  

‘Our mission is to protect communities from flash floods,’ says LIFE FLOPRES project lead Dušan Kočický. ‘The deployment of these smart sensors enables us to monitor water levels, soil conditions and atmospheric factors in real time, providing crucial data for flood prediction and prevention. Early warning is crucial for emergency services to act quickly and manage the risks.’ 

‘Water management has changed significantly over the past decade with the introduction of new technologies to improve flood risk prevention. However, recurring floods show many local authorities, farmers and landowners still lack the knowledge and capacity to forecast flood risks and threat locations,’ says Claudia. 

‘LIFE FLOPRES is just one of hundreds of LIFE projects which show the EU climate adaptation strategy isn’t just about 2050, it’s about providing practical support today,’ she adds. ‘Smarter, faster and more systemic adaptation is already benefiting millions of EU citizens.’ 

In addition to supporting the EU 2050 climate adaptation strategy, LIFE FLOPRES aligns with the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 and the European Green Deal.  

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