The fortress you build may be overtaken by the enemy and used against you, hence do not build any... This is the self destructive logic that has killed thousands and caused losses of over $100 million in a single day for the city of Mumbai. The city mourned the fourth anniversary of the 26th July 2005 floods while the administration still sits helpless. The primary topographic data of the city is at a resolution of 20m, and attempting any flooding potential mapping is an excercise in futility. The investigation report recommended that a contour map be prepared at 0.5m resolution. Aerial photography along with a Lidar survey is the sensible way to go about doing things, but what if the elevation data falls into the wrong hands? This procrastination and irresolution has caused more damage and death than what any villainy could achieve.

A large number of coastal cities in the tropics face torrential rain which leads to flooding. We have the technology to predict these (to some extent), demarcate potentially flood prone areas, and prevent loss of life and infrastructure. Unfortunately, today it is the 'informed decision' that needs to keep pace with geospatial.