In recent years, the Union of the Comoros has been increasingly affected by extreme hydro
meteorological events. Floods triggered by heavy rains continue to cause widespread damage
across various regions of the country, resulting in significant physical and economic losses.
Even more concerning is the apparent intensification of these events, with new areas affected
each year. This trend highlights the country's limited capacity to respond effectively to
recurring disasters—both in terms of financial resources, infrastructure, and qualified human
capital.
To reduce community vulnerability, it is essential to first understand the underlying
dynamics of these hazards and then develop appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
This requires access to reliable, high-resolution data. Yet, in Comoros, such data—especially
topographic and hydrological information critical for flood risk mapping—remains largely
unavailable.
DAYIMA, a Comorian NGO, is addressing this gap by adopting advanced data collection
technologies such as drones equipped with LiDAR sensors. These tools, now more
affordable due to advances in computing power and data storage, enable the rapid and
precise generation of terrain models and environmental datasets at relatively low cost.
This presentation highlights DAYIMA’s ongoing efforts to apply drone-based LiDAR and
other geospatial tools to support flood mapping and disaster risk reduction initiatives across
Comoros. It demonstrates how localized, community-driven data collection can strengthen
national resilience and inform evidence-based decision-making in risk-prone environments.