IGAC implements project on floods and landslides

The Colombian Agustin Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC) and the Regional Corporation of the State of Antioquia (CORANTIOQUIA) signed an agreement to develop the project “Estimation and elaboration of cartography of flood and landslide hazards in the CORANTIOQUIA jurisdiction, with the use of geospatial technologies”. The project consists of three phases and aims to map the flood activity and landslide events in a specific area using optical and radar images. The goal is to generate cartography on a scale of 1:25,000 based on the ITC methodology.

The project starts with the Cauca and Nechi rivers, mapping geomorphologic units to generate hazard maps and continues in the second and third phases in other zones according to the results of the first phase. The research area is part of the flood areas of the Magdalena River - the most important of the country. Floods in that area caused the declaration of a state of emergency last year. This is the first study of its kind in the country. IGAC wants to increase the use of geospatial technologies, especially those related to remote sensing for hazard and risk assessments and management.