Following several occasions with extensive flooding during the last decade in Europe, the European Commission has pursued the issue of supporting Member States and other European countries with an early warning system for severe flooding. After a research programme lasting several years, SMHI has now been entrusted to commission the early warning service and implement an effective solution for Europe.
The European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) will be able to indicate the risk of flooding at an early stage and increase preparedness among international and national warning and rescue organisations for both preventive and remedial measures.
SMHI has been commissioned with the task of operating the EFAS Dissemination Centre alongside SHMU and RWS, the national hydrological warning services in Slovakia and the Netherlands. SMHI will lead the consortium in an agreement running until 2016.
SMHI has been working with hydrological issues on an international level for many years. The hydrological projection models HBV and Hype have been developed within SMHI and are used in around 40 countries worldwide. SMHI has been directly involved in hydrological projects in developing countries and in Europe.
SMHI given early flood warning dissemination assignment for Europe
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SMHI, along with the hydrological warning services in Slovakia and the Netherlands, has been given responsibility of disseminating early flood risk warnings to national warning centres in Europe. SMHI will lead the consortium.