Floods take lives, destroy infrastructure, damage biodiversity and lead to high economic losses. A warming above 3°C could double the costs of damage and people affected by precipitation and river flooding. European Commission's Joint Research Centre scientists have developed a tool to estimate flood water depth and improve the accuracy of flood extent maps, which can help to decide which means to allocate (e.g. helicopter or boat) and the equipment and quantity to use (e.g. hoses and water pumps).