Integrated development of early warning systems: Local Flood Early Warning System - LFEWS

An affordable and community-based approach with high potential for transferability. Simple and effective local flood early warning systems (LFEWS) allow local authorities and municipalities improve their ability to predict and warn flooding events and to respond more effectively at the water catchment area level. Through the successful implementation of LFEWS in Philippines, Vietnam, and Mozambique GIZ has demonstrated that people-centred early warning systems, which incorporate local knowledge and capacities, and have been planned, tested and are maintained together with the population, work most effectively.

Since 2005, simple and effective local flood early warning systems have been installed in Central Mozambique province of Sofala. Since then, communities along the Buzi, Save and Revue rivers are ready to deal with the recurring floods, and local people remove their belongings to a place of safety when the alert is sounded.

In the Philippines, GIZ and their local government partners have developed an integrated approach for LFEWS. The approach focuses on small to medium-sized river basins and is tailored to local conditions. Where necessary, the system may be supplemented with GIS data and satellite information.