Las inundaciones son uno de los desastres más frecuentes y afectan a millones de personas cada año. Sus consecuencias van desde la destrucción de cultivos, que compromete la seguridad alimentaria, hasta daños en la infraestructura o la pérdida de vidas humanas.
La deforestación, los incendios forestales y la urbanización son factores que contribuyen al riesgo de inundaciones. Al eliminarse la vegetación, el suelo pierde su capacidad natural para absorber agua, lo que aumenta la escorrentía hacia los ríos y, finalmente, llega a las zonas urbanas. En las ciudades, las superficies impermeables aumentan el riesgo al bloquear la infiltración y, a menudo, sobrecargar los sistemas de drenaje, especialmente a medida que las lluvias torrenciales se vuelven más frecuentes e intensas como consecuencia del cambio climático. Por lo tanto, una planificación urbana eficaz, una infraestructura resiliente y una previsión meteorológica oportuna son esenciales para reducir los impactos y proteger a las comunidades.
En este contexto, existe una necesidad creciente de adoptar estrategias de prevención y mitigación basadas en datos, incluida la gestión de la tierra basada en evidencia y el uso de herramientas de pronóstico para anticipar y responder a los fenómenos meteorológicos extremos de manera más efectiva.
Satélites Sentinel de Copernicus y servicios de Copernicus
Copernicus, el componente de Observación de la Tierra (OT) del Programa Espacial de la UE, proporciona datos gratuitos y abiertos desde sus satélites (Sentinels), así como a través de los Servicios Copernicus con alta resolución temporal y espacial en todo el mundo.
Por ejemplo, los datos proporcionados por los satélites Sentinel-2 de Copernicus son clave para la monitorización de ríos, embalses y ciudades, rastreando estos entornos para evaluar posibles daños por inundaciones y planificar las operaciones de recuperación en las zonas afectadas. Al mismo tiempo, los datos proporcionados por Sentinel-1 de Copernicus permiten identificar masas de agua y observar la magnitud de las inundaciones durante el día, la noche e incluso en condiciones atmosféricas inestables, que pueden coincidir con fenómenos extremos que las desencadenan (como tormentas o huracanes).
Además, los Servicios de Copernicus , que integran datos de satélites, modelos y datos in situ, proporcionan productos relevantes relacionados con la atmósfera, el cambio climático, los océanos y la vigilancia de la tierra, así como para apoyar actividades de gestión de emergencias.
El servicio de referencia para las actividades de preparación, respuesta y recuperación ante inundaciones es el Servicio de Gestión de Emergencias de Copernicus (CEMS), que proporciona información geoespacial clave y oportuna a través de tres componentes:
- Alerta temprana y monitoreo : incluye el Sistema mundial de conocimiento de inundaciones (GloFAS), que proporciona pronósticos hidrológicos probabilísticos globales (días a meses) y el Monitoreo mundial de inundaciones (GFM), que proporciona información sobre la extensión de las inundaciones gracias a un procesamiento automatizado de todas las imágenes de radar entrantes del Sentinel-1 de Copernicus.
- Mapeo a Demanda : Este componente proporciona productos geoespaciales oportunos tras una activación formal . Apoya a las partes interesadas en la gestión de emergencias antes, durante y después de inundaciones. Este servicio ofrece análisis y evaluaciones de riesgos antes y después de inundaciones, además de monitorear la extensión de las inundaciones y proporcionar evaluaciones de daños inmediatamente después.
- Mapeo de Exposición: A través de la Capa Global de Asentamientos Humanos (GHSL), que combina datos satelitales con datos censales, es posible acceder a una amplia gama de conjuntos de datos que ayudan a mapear e identificar poblaciones e infraestructura vulnerables, brindando información crucial para la reducción de riesgos y la planificación a largo plazo.
El uso efectivo de los datos de Copernicus mejora la respuesta inmediata y fortalece la resiliencia de las comunidades afectadas, sirviendo como referencia estratégica para las autoridades nacionales, las agencias humanitarias y los actores interesados en protección civil en todo el mundo, incluida la región de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC).
Use cases in flood management in Latin America and the Caribbean
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, also in the LAC region, which is already highly vulnerable to hurricanes and floods, as well as to wildfires, and prolonged droughts, which in turn increase the risk of flooding due to exposed land cover. Copernicus has provided data before, during, and after these events.
For instance, 300 mm of rain fell in the mountains of northern Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil on 31 April 2024, causing dam breaks and landslides, and submerging entire towns. Over 160 people lost their lives as the floodwaters headed south towards the Guaíba drainage basin, where the streams from the northern third of the state converge and flow directly past the centre of Porto Alegre.
In response, the CEMS On-Demand Mapping component was activated by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) for monitoring and assessing the impact of the event in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Within the activation of EMSN194, the On-Demand Mapping team delivered several geospatial products, including:
- Flood delineation maps
- Temporal analysis of flood events
- Detailed damage assessment analyses
- Impact assessment/exposure analyses for assets and population
Damage assessment product delivered within the EMSN194 activation as accessible on the Copernicus EMS viewer. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Emergency Management Service, 2024.
Unfortunately, a second bout of heavy rains in the region caused a new flood in mid-June 2025. The Jacuí River burst its banks, leaving highly populated areas such as Cachoeira do Sul underwater.
Using the Global Flood Monitoring (GFM) tool, it was possible to visualise the extent of the flooded areas. In fact, data on flood extent, land use, and affected population can be downloaded directly from the GFM portal. Moreover, the flood delineation data provided by GFM are integrated into the GloFAS portal, enabling users to access flood information and forecasts in a single platform.
Observed Flood Extent product available via the GFM portal showing the Jacuí River on 23 June 2025. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Emergency Management Service, 2025.
GloFAS has also been key to flood forecasting in the face of extreme events such as Hurricane Iota. In November 2020, several Central American countries prepared for the arrival of one of the most intense hurricanes in recorded history, Category 5 Hurricane Iota.
As the hurricane approached the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras, GloFAS provided floodplain forecasts, outlining the estimated flood extent of major rivers.
Forecast information available via the GloFAS viewer during Hurricane Iota crisis on 18 November 2020. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Emergency Management Service, 2025.
In the days following Hurricane Iota’s landfall, data from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 and Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites showed the flood-affected areas, with rivers overflowing their banks along the Northern coast of Nicaragua and Honduras.
Flooded areas along Motagua River, Guatemala, and Ulúa River, Honduras. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-1 imagery, 19 November 2020.
Flooded areas along Motagua River, Guatemala, and Ulúa River, Honduras. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery, 25 November 2020.
The Role of the CopernicusLAC Panama Centre
The CopernicusLAC Panama Centre serves as a hub for national authorities, emergency responders, and local stakeholders seeking to harness free and open Copernicus data to support disaster risk reduction and tackle the effects of climate change in our region.
In particular, the Centre is directly addressing flood risks through its Hydrometeorological Hazards Services. This set of services, which is co-developed and tailored to local needs, focuses on delivering geospatial products leveraging the free and open data provided by the Copernicus Sentinel satellites to assess hydrometeorological risks, including floods, storms, and extreme rainfall events.
Products of this service dedicated to flood include the Flood Extent Mapping, which provides an estimation of the cumulative extent of flood traces using Copernicus Sentinel-1 imagery over a defined period around the event start date.
Copernicus Sentinel 1-derived flood extent maps for Belize (data acquired on 3 November 2022). Credit: CopernicusLAC Centre
When combined with elevation data such as a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) map, these flood extent maps enable the delivery of the Flood Depth Mapping (FLDM) product, which delivers high-resolution maps of maximum water depth per pixel.
Water depth maps analysis for a flood event in Colombia. Data derived from the flood extent maps and integrating them with a DEM. Credit: CopernicusLAC Centre
The Centre EO Services are meant to deliver key insights for national institutions, emergency responders, and development agencies, improving early warning systems, risk planning, and post-event recovery efforts.
Moreover, capacity building is further supported through the Centre’s Digital Campus, where courses on the use of satellite data applied to disasters such as floods are available. Relevant courses already available cover:
- “Remote sensing applied to flood monitoring”
- “Hydromet hazards”
- “Remote sensing applied to disaster risks”
These courses are designed to equip participants with theoretical and practical skills, applying Earth Observation data to real disaster risk reduction scenarios. Beyond building technical expertise, they foster a holistic understanding of the socio-economic and environmental dimensions that are essential for effective flood management and preparedness.
📝 Register to the digital campus here:
Conclusions
Floods pose an increasing threat to lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems across the LAC region. By combining the powerful capabilities of the Copernicus Sentinel satellites with operational services such as CEMS, Copernicus delivers timely and reliable data for flood forecasting, emergency response, monitoring, and recovery. From mapping inundated areas to forecasting river overflows and assessing population exposure, these tools enable national authorities and humanitarian actors to make evidence-based decisions.
Through the CopernicusLAC Panama Centre, this global capacity is translated into local action, empowering local authorities to harness the free and open Copernicus data for disaster risk reduction. Training initiatives, community events, and the co-development of tailored Earth Observation services are meant to further strengthen local capacities, helping communities across Latin America and the Caribbean build resilience against disasters and climate change challenges.
Background Information
The Copernicus LAC Panama Centre’s activities take place within the overall context of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, which is a strategic framework for promoting cooperation between the EU and the LAC region on digital and space issues under the EU Global Gateway umbrella. Within this context, the European Space Agency (ESA) is coordinating the Centre’s implementation on the basis of a Contribution Agreement with the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) of the European Commission, and in close collaboration with Panama’s government, MIRE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Government Innovation Authority (AIG), and SENACYT (National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation).
The CopernicusLAC Panama Centre will serve as a hub for innovation in the Latin America and Caribbean region, supporting national and local entities in leveraging Copernicus data and information to boost socio-economic benefits and resilience. In addition to providing engagement opportunities, the Centre is developing geospatial Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Earth Observation (EO) Services (addressing hydrometeorological hazards, wildfires, geological hazards, and hazard exposure) in close collaboration with local users and stakeholders, to whom they will be handed over to ensure that the unique needs of the region are addressed in the long term.
In addition, knowledge and skills transfer is a key element of the CopernicusLAC Panama Centre, which hosts a Digital Campus with access to training modules and educational resources for technical users and citizens alike. The Centre will also organise community-building events, policy dialogues and industry matchmaking, as well as hackathons and other EO data challenges to stimulate user adoption of Copernicus data and innovation. These events will also foster cross-collaboration among EO, disaster risk reduction (DRR) and other relevant ecosystems.
Finally, the Centre will support the development of a high-power computing and data storage cloud infrastructure for the LAC region. One of the final objectives of the Centre is to promote the development of communities of practice and to strengthen the knowledge and use of tools for DRR and other application areas in the public sector, academia, the private sector, and social organisations.