Link to data
Prepared by: Kathryn Foster, Cornell University
Date: April 21, 2026
Original Authors: B. Tellman, J.A Sullivan, C.S Doyle, C. Kuhn, A.J Kettner, G.R Brakenridge, T.A. Erikson, D.A. Slayback
About: The data combines satellite flood and human settlement data to identify population exposure to flooding and flood risk from 2000 onward. The data were created using NASA satellite imagery to identify and map flood events recorded by the Dartmouth Flood Observatory (DFO), which were then intersected with global watershed data (HydroSHEDS) and daily precipitation estimates (PERSIANN-CDR). The maps were then overlaid with population data from the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) to derive population exposure estimates.
Data are available on: Flood events, population exposure per flooding event, population exposed per country-event, and population displaced per event. The data include 913 flood events from 169 countries from 2000 to 2018. Utilizing satellite data, this database covers 2.23 million square kilometers of inundated land and helps track flood exposure, accounting for population change in flood-prone regions.
Spatial data (GeoTIFF files) by country and flooding events can be downloaded from the bottom of the Global Flood Database website in the interactive maps section. These maps outline the flooded areas and the duration of the flood for each event, as well as impacts on displacement and casualties. The DFO estimates both the cause of the flood event and the casualties. This is the number reported by the media or the government and could be much higher or lower than the estimated number of people exposed from satellite data.
Population exposure per flooding event is calculated by intersecting the observed inundated flood data with the population data. The population exposed per event is reported using the GHSL population estimated in 2000, and in 2015. Tabular data in csv format can be found in the “About the data” link at the top of the Global Flood Database website.
Although the database does not separate population exposure by age for each flooding event, researchers can still study older adults using the data. For example, researchers may combine the Global Flood Data with Census or population data of interest to assess the relationship between flood exposure and older adults (example found here).
Detailed GIS data descriptions and methodological notes can be found here: https://storage.googleapis.com/gfd_metadata/README_GFD.pdf