Wetlands, such as those of the Tana River Delta in Kenya, are vital but threatened ecosystems. The flooding characteristics of wetlands largely determine their physical, chemical and biological properties, so their quantification is crucial for wetland management. This quantification can be achieved through hydrological modelling. In addition, the analysis of satellite imagery provides essential hydrological data to monitor floods in poorly gauged zones.

Satellite images provide information on the flood disaster footprints, which is essential for assessing the disaster impact and taking up flood mitigation activities. The Brahmaputra floods that occurred during June–July 2012 devastated a large part of Assam. This article discusses the maximum spatial extent affected due to the flood event, villages marooned and population affected, with the aid of multi-temporal satellite images coupled with the hydrological observations and freely available gridded population data.