Available Reports
Source-labelled public flood events when a supported provider has a usable record.
Weather Context
Compare precipitation and storm layers without treating them as a local depth estimate.
Separate Timestamps
Reports and weather layers update independently and can lag fast-changing conditions.
Local Verification
Use official warnings, river gauges and road information for decisions.
Types of Floods We Track
- River Floods - When rivers overflow their banks from prolonged rainfall
- Flash Floods - Rapid flooding from intense rainfall, often in urban areas
- Coastal Floods - Storm surge flooding from hurricanes and tropical storms
- Monsoon Floods - Seasonal flooding in Asia and Africa
- Ice Jam Floods - Spring flooding when river ice breaks up
High-Risk Flood Regions
Major basins where local forecasts and gauge networks are especially important include:
- Mississippi River Basin, USA
- Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta, Bangladesh/India
- Mekong River, Southeast Asia
- Rhine/Danube Rivers, Europe
- Yangtze River, China
Flood layers need local verification
PocketWorld combines available flood reports, precipitation context and map layers to make regional patterns easier to explore. Coverage is uneven and reports can lag fast-changing conditions. A mapped point or area is not a parcel-level depth estimate and does not prove that a road, home or evacuation route is passable.
Check timestamps and source links, then use forecasts, river gauges and warnings from the responsible local authority for decisions. The global view is contextual and must not replace emergency instructions or on-the-ground observations.
Hazard data sources
Events are aggregated from USGS, EMSC, NOAA, NASA EONET, NASA FIRMS and GDACS, then normalized and deduplicated.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between flood watch and warning?
Terminology and criteria vary by authority. Read the original official message and follow its instructions rather than inferring status from a PocketWorld marker.
Does PocketWorld predict flood depth?
No. It provides broad report and weather context, not a parcel-level forecast, road-closure service or guarantee that a route is passable.
What causes flash floods?
Flash floods occur when heavy rain falls faster than ground can absorb or drainage can handle, often in under 6 hours.